Hello, film aficionados! This week I'll be reviewing the thrilling drama, Peppermint, a gripping story of love, justice and loss, directed by Pierre Morel. I'm not familiar with his work, but he did an excellent job directing this. The plot is tragic with a twist of justice.
This film's protagonist, Jennifer Garner, is known for her great ability to do both comedic and dramatic roles. Garner stars as Riley North, a hard-working mom who's trying to provide a better life for her husband and daughter. Her husband has the same goal and is propositioned to do something illegal by a friend. Tragedy strikes and Riley's life is changed forever.
There are countless great scenes in this movie. One of the most heartfelt is when Riley and her husband celebrate their daughter's birthday at the carnival. They get ice cream and the little girl asks for peppermint. That just stuck with me as an audience member because it was bittersweet.
The most pivotal scene in the film is when Riley's daughter and husband are gunned down. The anguish on Riley's face shows exactly why she's driven to seek justice for her family. This scene drives the rest of the film's action. Jennifer Garner conveys to us why she has stayed prominent in Hollywood for the past twenty years in her role as a grieving mother.
Another important scene is when Riley escapes from the ambulance taking her to a mental hospital. In the previous scene, the corrupt judge said there was not enough evidence to convict the three gunmen of her family's murder. That's when all hell breaks loose and Riley disappears for five years, only to come back with a vengeance.
I liked the way that social media was integrated into this film. When Riley was on the run for going after the people that killed her family, there was extensive Facebook and television coverage of her quest for revenge. Or was it justice? Guess it depends on how you look at it.
Several emotions went through me as I watched this film, including sadness and a sense of bitterness. I felt heartbroken for Riley, but was she right in getting justice for her family by going after their killers and a corrupt judicial system?
Critics were not kind in their reviews of Peppermint. Scott Marks of the San Diego Reader called it "gun porn", which I don't agree with. If that's the case, then films like John Wick would also fall into that category. It received a 10% rating on Rotten Tomatoes by the critics, but got a 75% approval rating from the audience. I enjoyed the movie and was glad to see that others did as well.
The plot was a little far-fetched and there was no showing of how Garner evolved from grieving mother to a vigilante badass. However, I loved the acting and the great stunt work. If you are a fan of action flicks, then you need to check this one out.
Lisa's Score: 9/10
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