A Walk Among the Tombstones (film)

A Walk Among the Tombstones is a 2014 American neo-noir action thriller film[5][6][7][8] directed and written by Scott Frank, and based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Lawrence Block. It stars Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, David Harbour, and Boyd Holbrook. The film was released on September 19, 2014. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $62 million worldwide.

A Walk Among the Tombstones
Theatrical release poster
Directed byScott Frank
Screenplay byScott Frank
Based onA Walk Among the Tombstones
by Lawrence Block
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMihai Mălaimare Jr.
Edited byJill Savitt
Music byCarlos Rafael Rivera
Production
companies
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • September 19, 2014 (2014-09-19)
Running time
114 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$23–28 million[2][3]
Box office$62.1 million[4]

Plot

In New York City of 1991, Detective Matthew "Matt" Scudder's partner tries to persuade him to get help for his drinking problem. Going into a bar in Washington Heights that he frequents, Scudder orders a cup of coffee and two whiskey shots. Two men come in and shoot the bartender dead. Scudder chases them outside and kills one of them as well as their driver. He chases the other down the street as they fire at each other, before Scudder shoots him dead in a staircase alley. Eight years later in 1999, a now sober Scudder is an unlicensed private investigator. A man named Peter, who Scudder knows from Alcoholics Anonymous and is the brother of a drug trafficker named Kenny Kristo, approaches Scudder for help finding his Kenny's wife’s killers. They abducted her, demanded a ransom, and killed her despite receiving the money. Scudder agrees to help. He meets TJ, a homeless streetwise youth.

Scudder and TJ research similar killings. He learns two men murdered a Drug Enforcement Administration agent, and used her files on drug dealers to kidnap and kill their loved ones. After T.J is hospitalised after an assault, Scudder confesses that after the shootout in 1991, he discovered that one of his shots accidentally hit a seven year girl in the eye, killing her instantly. Despite not being blamed for it, Scudder quit the force and gave up drinking that day as he had been drunk during the shootout. Kristo asks Scudder to help fellow drug trafficker Yuri Landau, whose daughter Lucia has been kidnapped. When the kidnappers call, Scudder convinces them to keep Lucia alive in exchange for one million dollars.

The two kidnappers, Ray and Albert, agree to meet at the cemetery. Scudder, TJ and the drug traffickers exchange the money for Lucia, but Albert discovers the money is counterfeit and a shootout ensues. Albert and a wounded Ray escape in their van, with TJ hiding in the back.

TJ contacts Scudder with his location, while Albert kills the wounded Ray. Scudder and Kristo arrive and subdue Albert. Scudder leaves to put TJ in a taxi. When he returns, Kristo is dead and Albert attacks him from behind with a metal wire. Albert disarms Scudder and is about to kill him with a cleaver, but Scudder grabs Ray's taser and subdues him. He eventually kills Albert with a gunshot to the head. A while later, police arrive at the crime scene with Scudder observing from afar.

Cast

Development

A film adaptation of Block’s novel had been in development for several years with a script from Scott Frank. The film is largely faithful to the core story of the novel, while cutting several subplots and supporting characters. In 2002, Harrison Ford was attached to star and D.J. Caruso to direct.[9] In May 2012, Liam Neeson had reportedly signed on to play Matthew Scudder in the film, with Frank himself directing, and production slated to begin February 2013.[10]

Filming began on March 3, 2013 in New York City.[11] Producers invited author Block to the set to watch filming. On the casting of Neeson, Block said, "Readers often ask who'd be my ideal Matt Scudder, and I usually change the subject. But now it's safe to tell you that, ever since I saw him in Michael Collins, Neeson has been up at the top of my personal Scudder wish list. I couldn't be happier about either the star or the writer/director, both of them genuine artists and brilliant professionals. My book's in good hands."[12]

The film was completed on October 8, 2013, and classified by the MPAA as rated R for "strong violence, disturbing images, language, and brief nudity".[13] On October 18, 2013, Block tweeted that he had seen the film and revealed producers were aiming for a September 2014 release.[14] On January 30, 2014, it was announced the film would be released on September 19, 2014.[15]

Reception

Box office

A Walk Among the Tombstones grossed $26 million in the United States and Canada, and $36.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total gross of $62.1 million, against its $28 million budget.[4]

The film earned $428,000 from Thursday night from 1,918 theaters, and $4.7 million from 2,712 theaters on its opening day.[16][17] It debuted at number two at the box office on its opening weekend earning $13.1 million behind The Maze Runner ($32.5 million).[18]

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 68% based on 165 reviews, with an average rating of 6.20/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "A Walk Among the Tombstones doesn't entirely transcend its genre clichés, but it does offer Liam Neeson one of his more compelling roles in recent memory, and that's often enough."[19] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 57 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[20] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale.[21]

Richard Roeper gave the film a B+ rating, calling the film "a stylish and smart thriller".[22] Manohla Dargis in The New York Times called it "one of those rare cinematic offerings: intelligent pulp" but also noted that the film "can be tough to watch, particularly its fleeting images of tortured women".[23] In Variety, Andrew Barker found it a well-made thriller "with a good deal of panache and style".[24]

References
  1. "A Walk among the Tombstones (15)". British Board of Film Classification. September 3, 2014. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
  2. FilmL.A. (May 2015). "2014 Feature Film Study" (PDF). FilmL.A. Feature Film Study. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  3. "A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014) - Box Office Mojo". September 19, 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  4. "A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)". January 27, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  5. "Watch: Liam Neeson Takes 'A Walk Among The Tombstones' In Trailer For Action Thriller". IndieWire. May 29, 2014.
  6. "A Walk Among the Tombstones - Movie Page". UPHE. March 8, 2015.
  7. "Why Liam Neeson Movies Are A Guaranteed Success At The Box Office". Business Insider.
  8. "A Walk Among the Tombstones". Fandango.
  9. Jochimsen, Tino (April 23, 2013). "Liam Neeson's 'A Walk Among the Tombstones' will be huge". MoviePilot.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  10. Fleming, Mike Jr. (May 17, 2012). "Liam Neeson Takes 'A Walk Among The Tombstones' In Production Deal with Exclusive Media and Cross Creek Pictures". Deadline.com.
  11. Chitwood, Adam (March 3, 2013). "Production Begins on Scott Frank's A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES Starring Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, and Ruth Wilson". Collider.com.
  12. Bloom, Dan (April 11, 2013). "Liam Neeson Takes 'Walk Among the Tombstones'". Yahoo! Movies.
  13. "A Walk Among the Tombstones Production Update". MovieInsider.com. October 9, 2013.
  14. Lawrence Block [@LawrenceBlock] (October 18, 2013). "Saw #AWalkAmongTheTombstones today. Liam Neeson brilliant as Scudder, Scott Frank script and direction tops. Set for September release" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  15. "Universal Dates Crimson Peak, Ouija, Pitch Perfect 2 and More!". ComingSoon. January 30, 2014. Archived from the original on January 31, 2014. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  16. Busch, Anita (September 19, 2014). "Box Office: 'Maze Runner' Off To Good Start With $1.1M, 'Tombstones' Takes In $480K – Late Night Numbers". Deadline. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  17. Mendelson, Scott (September 20, 2014). "Box Office: 'Maze Runner' Sprints To $11.25M, 30+ Weekend". Forbes. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  18. Mendelson, Scott (September 21, 2014). "Box Office: 'Maze Runner' Races To $32.5M Weekend, Kevin Smith's 'Tusk' Bombs". Forbes. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  19. A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014) at Rotten Tomatoes
  20. A Walk Among the Tombstones reviews at Metacritic
  21. Busch, Anita (September 22, 2014). "Box Office FINAL: 'Maze Runner' Finds $32.5M; Liam's 'Walk' Limps In With $12.7M; 'Where I Leave You,' $11.5M". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  22. Roeper, Richard. "Walk Among the Tombstones Review". RichardRoeper.com. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  23. Dargis, Manohla (September 18, 2014). "Good vs. Evil, Both Bloody". The New York Times. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  24. Barker, Andrew (September 16, 2014). "Film Review:'A Walk Among the Tombstones'". Variety. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
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