The crime drama is not a genre that is lacking in material. There are a plethora of films and TV shows released every year focusing on this very thing, which makes it hard for projects that have generally decent plots and good performances to stand out. There needs to be a vision, an ambition to make something good and memorable. Ida Red, unfortunately, seems to fall into the trap of emulating better crime dramas instead of trying to stand out on the merits of its own story.
Led by Melissa Leo, Josh Hartnett and Frank Grillo, Ida Red is a film that follows a crime family and the ramifications of a job gone wrong. Leo plays the titular Ida Red, who is leading the family business behind bars, while her son Wyatt (Hartnett) and brother Dallas (Grillo) handle the actual day-to-day operations. Dallas is a crass and sadistic character; Wyatt is the typical “nice guy”. Beyond these characters, however, everyone is a cliché with nothing more to offer. All that is worth grasping is the commitment to which the actors play their crime drama archetypes.
The film's downfall lies in its format. In the span of nearly two hours, the audience is introduced to several characters that factor into the dysfunctional family dynamic, each with their own troubles. In a limited series perhaps, the story of how Jeanie, Wyatt’s sister, functions while being married to a lawman — who is hellbent on arresting her family members — and the mother to a teenage daughter would have room to expand upon. The subplot regarding Darla, Jeanie’s daughter, acting up and having a fondness for her criminal family members is an interesting angle that cannot be properly explored while the main plot is unfolding.
As for the titular character, Ida Red seemingly has a ton of power, but the film is neither told from her perspective nor does it offer any understanding of how she is the foreboding presence in this crime syndicate while being terminally ill and locked up. With all that is at play in Ida Red, all that winds up happening, unfortunately, is that the tension and thrill is defused throughout the crime drama rather than being ramped up. Ultimately, the film is uneven and lacks clarity. While it may have all the right pieces to ideally work, it cannot position them in a way that leads to a satisfying conclusion and Ida Red mostly fumbles its way to the end.
While the film struggles with creating a clear narrative and building suspense, what keeps the audience's attention are the character dynamics. Josh Hartnett feels at ease in this role, with years of being a solid working actor, he reminds viewers that he is an actor capable of keeping our attention. Sofia Hublitz feels much too old to play a 16-year-old, but she is charming enough to create a compelling character in Darla. Melissa Leo is obviously great and does a lot with what she is given.
While the ensemble is well-cast, Ida Red as a whole feels like a blast from the past. With old-school transitions, traditional camerawork and a score that is reminiscent of those found in the crime dramas from the 1980s and 1990s, Ida Red is merely a replication of a good crime drama but without the substance.
Ida Red was released in the United States on November 5, 2021 by Saban Films. The film is 110 minutes long and rated R for language throughout, strong violence, some sexual content.
Key Release Dates
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Ida Red
Release Date:2021-11-05
