Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Locked up for a minor crime, 19 year old JR quickly learns the harsh realities of prison life. Protection, if you can get it, is paramount. JR soon finds himself under the watchful eye of Australia's most notorious criminal, Brendan Lynch, but protection comes at a price.
Son of a Gun is a competent Australian crime thriller that follows a fairly well-worn prison-to-heist narrative arc. The plot hits familiar beats — young man mentored by a seasoned criminal, a gold heist, double-crosses — without offering much that distinguishes it from the genre template. Ewan McGregor and Brenton Thwaites deliver solid performances, keeping the film watchable, but neither is given enough material to truly shine. Cinematography is professional and adequately captures Perth and Melbourne locations without being visually distinctive. Novelty is low as the film leans heavily on established crime thriller conventions with little fresh perspective. The ending feels rushed and somewhat unsatisfying, failing to deliver a payoff commensurate with the tension built earlier.