Felony-Joel-EdgertonFelony, the first feature written by actor Joel Edgerton, is a low-key, character driven drama that sinks under the weight of its own self-importance, and also sets up the viewer for a more powerful payoff than it delivers.

During a large scale police raid of a warehouse, Detective Malcom Toohey (Edgerton) is shot while pursuing a suspect but is saved from serious injury by his Kevlar vest. After a boozy celebration of the operation’s success with his colleagues, Toohey drives home drunk, getting through a police checkpoint with his badge and a code word, with tragic results. He constructs an alibi to cover up his crime, aided and abetted by Detective Carl Summers (Tom Wilkinson), a forceful senior colleague, but Summers’ eager young partner Jim Melic (Jai Courtney), realising something is amiss with Toohey’s account, becomes determined to root out what really happened.

This is an oft-seen scenario in the police procedural sub-genre: a highly regarded officer makes a grave error of judgement and is subsequently torn between remorse and the desire not to end his otherwise exemplary career.  Many contemporary writers are revitalising tired stories (particularly in the crime genre) by twisting or re-imagining well-worn plots and tropes or, as is becoming increasingly common, mixing elements from different genres. In the case of Felony, Edgerton’s and director Matthew Saville’s adherence to the overly familiar makes for a plodding film, and the tension that’s generated by the set-up in the first act dissipates a good while before the end of the film.

Tom Wilkinson’s world weary Detective Summers is the film’s only engaging character, caught between helping his friend cover up his terrible mistake and keeping his partner Melic from exposing the truth. Melissa George has little to do as Toohey’s wife other than look worried (which she does well), and Edgerton’s Toohey is something of a cypher, neither sympathetic nor unsympathetic, making it difficult for the viewer to care much about what happens to him or to remain gripped by the film.

[Rating:2/5]

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