Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
When new kid in town Ed Wallis is given an assignment to interview an older person, he turns to his mysterious neighbor, Ashby Holt for help. That new connection leads to unexpected journeys for both of them, as Ashby – who turns out to be a retired CIA assassin – deals with a terminal prognosis, and Ed deals with adjusting to life with his newly single mom and developing relationship with a brainy classmate, Eloise.
Ashby is a modest coming-of-age dramedy that blends a teen social arc with an unlikely friendship premise involving a dying ex-CIA assassin. The plot feels assembled from familiar indie parts — quirky mentor, awkward romance, single-parent adjustment — without much originality or narrative tension. The acting is the film's strongest suit, with Mickey Rourke bringing weathered charisma to Ashby and Nat Wolff holding his own, though the performances can't fully overcome the thin material. Cinematography is functional but unremarkable, typical of mid-budget indie dramedies. Novelty is low — the gruff older mentor befriending a lost teenager is well-worn territory, and the CIA angle feels grafted on rather than organically explored. The ending provides modest emotional closure but doesn't land with particular resonance or surprise.