GET JACK REACHER

When the cops thought that they had a water-tight case, and they handed their suspect a pen and paper expecting him to write his confession, he wrote only 3 words, "GET JACK REACHER."

Given that Lee Child novels have made a couple of appearances on Slicer's Slivers, you won't be surprised to hear that Slicer went to the first screening of Jack Reacher when the film went on general release this side of the pond - on St Stephen's Day, or Boxing Day, as it's often referred to here in the UK. Some punches were landed on bully-boys and baddies, amidst a flurry of elbow jabs and the odd kick. Naturally a few gunshots are exchanged at various points. Much of the discussion prior to its release revolved around the controversial casting of Tom Cruise in the lead role (much too pretty, not blond, and not nearly tall enough). What wasn't foreseen was that some aspects would be uncomfortable viewing so soon after Sandy Hook.

Jack Reacher the movie is based on the novel "One Shot." The basis of the story (evident from the outset - so no plot spoiler), is that an army veteran (James Barr) is framed for the shooting of multiple innocent civilians in a US down-town area but no-one, including his defence attorney, believes he is innocent. He has had a previous encounter with Reacher back when Reacher was a military policeman and, although it wasn't a positive experience for him, he figures Reacher will leave no stone unturned to get to the truth - and he has no confidence that local law enforcement will deliver that standard. Reacher teams up with the defence lawyer - initially to "bury" the guy, but as he investigates his opinion changes...

The film delivers action, suspense and some humour. It's an easy story to follow, and doesn't require a lot of thinking on the part of the viewer. What is required is a passionate empathy to see justice done, and bad guys brought down - feelings that are fairly widespread in society. Reacher asks the defence attorney (played by Rosamund Pike), as the price for his investigative work, to interview the relatives of the victims - many of whom, as you'd expect, were not delighted to talk to the lawyer defending the alleged killer. This is where it gets uncomfortable after the tragedy in Connecticut - hearing everyday stories of family life cut short by mass murder involving a high-powered rifle. This is also where Slicer understands the feelings (tho' he no longer accepts the arguments) of those who argue for the right to bear arms so that 'every good man' can bring down bad guys. In fact that is the very reason that he has long cheered on fictional characters like Jack Reacher (and Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry, and Charles Bronson's Paul Kersey). There is, however, a difference between isolated fictional events and what is good for society as thought-out ongoing strategy.

NRA advocates don't share that view. In the movie, Robert Duvall plays the owner of a practice rifle range, frequented by those who enthuse about gun ownership (though many have a poor aim). As he puts it in the film, "Those boys out there get mighty touchy when it comes to their constitutional rights." As Shane Claiborne put it in a Huffington Post blog today, the season suggests that "There is another way."

Jack Reacher himself has said (in a quote often, and likely erroneously, attributed to Winston Churchill): "After exhausting all other possibilities, America will always do the right thing."

Reacher, of course, is presented as the guy who will probably always do the right thing from the get-go. As James Barr puts it "There's this guy. He's a kind of cop, at least he used to be. He doesn't care about proof, he doesn't care about the law, he only cares about what's right."

It's a highly appealing notion - some guy who can be relied upon to deliver justice when the nation's law enforcement agencies can't. Trouble is he's made up - but a worrying group of "those boys out there" think they're him, and that they can be relied upon to fix things by force when the state gets it wrong, including when the democratic process won't deliver the kind of government they fancy. Slicer has come across that notion before -  he does live in Northern Ireland, after all. However, he does believe that justice will ultimately be delivered, but it may not always look like what we wish for. Slicer is also like many boys who never grew up, in liking to think that he can drive like The Stig. But he can't, and he's not going to advocate that we all should have the right to own Formula 1 cars and use their extreme capabilities "responsibly" in built up areas.

Anyway, back to enjoyable fiction... Where Cruise falls short (em, literally) in physical presence, and in looks, he narrows the deficit to some extent by the sheer intensity and commitment he delivers in role. One car chase springs to mind. You rarely escape the feeling that he's trying to be Jack Reacher, and succeeding sometimes - when what you really want of course is to believe that you're actually watching Jack. That may not be a problem for folk who've never met Jack before in a Lee Child novel. (They literally don't know what they're missing). It's still a good flick. Rosamund Pike provides the unresolved romantic tension, and Jai Courtney & Werner Herzog play the real baddies. There's even a cameo appearance by Jim Grant (aka Lee Child):

Naturally it contains a few of Jack's trademark put-downs - such as when a few rednecks engineer a fight with Jack in a bar, & their leader Jeb challenges Reacher:

Jeb: "Hey, outside"

Reacher: "Pay your check first."

Jeb: "I'll pay it later."

Reacher: "You won't be able to."

As it transpired, they weren't. 


Another piece of humorous dialogue springs to Slicer's mind - from a different source entirely:

Well, I rapped upon a house
With the U.S. flag upon display
I said, “Could you help me out
I got some friends down the way”
The man says, “Get out of here
I’ll tear you limb from limb”
I said, “You know they refused Jesus, too”
He said, “You’re not Him."

The final arbiter of justice isn't Jack Reacher, and Tom Cruise isn't him either. Slicer still really liked the film. So did his son (no surprise) and his wife (surprise!) If you get the chance, go see it. If you don't, read One Shot. That way you'll really Get Jack Reacher... Cruise isn't him - and don't think in real life you could be either...

Comments

[NeilsCub]

I hobbled along to see it the day after Boxing Day. I had been skeptical at best about Cruise playing Reacher but I actually really enjoyed it. It helps to try to forget Cruise is playing Reacher and focus more on the character of Reacher - which is the real reason we've all read 17 of Lee Child's books (and two short stories). I'm looking forward to the next installment - The Affair?

[The Slicer]

Hey NeilsCub - thanks for the comment. Yep - I enjoyed it too, and I did what you're suggesting too - tried to forget... but it would've been better if it came naturally rather than requiring some effort. I hope there are many more eg Bad Luck & Trouble, but I'd really like if they started at the beginning with Killing Floor and worked on from there. Time to hunt for another actor - a younger version of Liam Neeson.