Pappi (Ron Perlman) is a baker in a small Floridian island town. His appearance is imposing but heck he is a senior who we see has certain violent “militaristic” flashbacks. A bit of mystery.
His son Pete so happens to be napping in a Miami airport parking lot early one morning and a drug transaction involving pink packets of super test heroin gets violent and all involved are killed but an orange bag containing the smack is left behind and Pete can’t resist taking it. He takes his preteen daughter Delfi (Emma Ho) to his father Pappi the Baker so he can go out solo to find a buyer for the narcotics. The Baker and Pete haven’t spoken in years and The Baker has never met his granddaughter but gets stuck with her for “just a day” as requested by Pete so he can make some deal back on the mainland to dispose of the smack. Delphi, traumatized since her mother died in a vehicle accident does not speak. Vic (Elias Koteas) is waiting for Pete when he returns to the mainland at Pete’s home and beats him badly and then whacks him. Vic works for Merchant (Harvey Keitel) a nasty man who says wars are for the young to fight and not the old but he wants the smack which that little airport massacre prevented from being delivered to him.
The Baker goes on a search for his son Pete with Delphi in tow. After many bloody fights it is quite apparent The Baker has military training and despite his age deals savagely with the thugs, young men of course, sent his way to annihilate him. Delphi is instructed by The Baker to wear welding glasses when violence is imminent so when doing she looks like a Mad Max character.
The Baker finds the body of Pete guided by Vic with The Baker’s gun to his head.
Surprisingly The Baker hands over the smack to Merchant. Merchant knows The Baker and refers to him as The Butcher. Don’t leave the theatre until the final credits stop rolling. A ruthless gangster with a guilty conscience will deliver a surprise. Like me will you jump out of your seat.
Solid acting throughout. Although Keitel has a bit part he has morphed from his youthful violence of “Taxi Driver” into a senior diplomatic thug with sage philosophy! Really workable relationship between Perlman and Ho.
You can see the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_R8scO_HEE
Major Canadian release on September 30, 2023.
RKS 2023 Film Rating 90/100.
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