I’ve never really thought of Josh Duhamel as an action star. I know that he’s done a few action movies, with the most notable being the Transformers franchise, and one could consider his 2003 NBC television series as an action drama. However, for whatever reason, the idea of John Duhamel and action star has just never been synonymous with me. That has officially changed, and interestingly enough, it’s because of a film that I suspected was going to be cheesy and full of tropes. And yet, it surprisingly turned out to be a movie that managed to be a balance of fast-paced action and emotional depth. Color me shocked. London Calling represents a first-time foray into the comedic side of filmmaking for director Allan Ungar, who typically creates biographical and psychological thrillers. He and Duhamel have chemistry, having previously worked together on the film Bandit. The film was also my first introduction to Jeremy Ray Taylor, Duhamel’s unlikely partner in crime, as the two endeavor in what can only be called a hitman ride-along.
Duhamel plays down-on-his-luck hitman, Tommy Ward, an ex-pat working for London’s biggest crime lord. After a job goes sideways resulting in him mistakenly killing a relative of his boss, he goes on the run, taking refuge in Los Angeles. Forced to sever contact with his son when he went on the run, Tommy reluctantly accepts an offer from his new employer, who offers to facilitate his safe passage to the UK in exchange for him teaching his socially awkward son Julian how to become a man. This “man” training takes the form of Tommy bringing Julian along on his latest assignment to toughen him up.
While bringing a witness along to me committing a murder wouldn’t have been my first idea for toughening someone up, I can see how such an idea could make sense within the confines of this movie. It helps that the idea originated from the likes of Rick Hoffman, the nuanced actor who brought us Louis Litt. Through him the idea makes perfect sense in a hilarious kind of way, because only Hoffman can be both insufferable and hilarious in the same sentence. Prime example is during his and Duhamel’s first phone exchange, in which he berates Duhamel’s character for his lack of professionalism. It is again seen while talking to his son about his need to toughen up. I don’t think I could have kept a straight face talking to someone in their underwear, but Hoffman pulled it off in a most comical way.
Duhamel gives as good as he gets with both Hoffman and Taylor. He gives one of the most charismatic performances I’ve ever seen by him. Despite playing a killer, he still manages to have a heart of gold, particularly during his later exchanges with Taylor, who becomes a surrogate son for him. The central motivation for his character is a desire to get back to his own son, and that drive forms the connection between Ward and Taylor’s Julian. Speaking of Julian, Taylor also delivers a standout performance as the socially adept yet firearm-proficient young man. The idea of obtaining marksman-level ability with pistols from videos games isn’t new and in itself is a bit of a trope, but it is still funny when he actor delivers the line thanks to his deadpan delivery.
The film does unravel in somewhat typical and predictable manner, resulting in a betrayal that brings Tommy face to face with the person he’s been eluding. Even so, I still enjoyed it and found it thrilling. Aidan Gillen is quite familiar with how to play a gangster and hits all the necessary marks to ensure a proper performance.
For their second time working together, Ungar and Duhamel provide a quality story that makes me want to see their 2022 pairing to see how it compares. I suspect I will enjoy this film more, as it is likely more centered in my wheelhouse than their biographical first paring. Additionally, for this to be the director’s first foray into the comedic side of the house, I dare say that he is well-versed in the concept of the genre and should explore this type of film more in the future.
