A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)

Movie Summary
"A Walk Among the Tombstones", directed by Scott Frank, is a 2014 police procedural thriller film based on Lawrence Block's 1992 book of the very same name. This fascinating movie features seasoned star Liam Neeson as the lead character, Matthew Scudder, an ex-NYPD police officer turned unlicensed private investigator.

Plot Summary
The narrative begins in 1991, where Scudder unintentionally kills a passerby while pursuing three crooks throughout a robbery. This distressing incident causes him to retire. 8 years later on, Scudder is an unlicensed private detective and a recovering alcoholic participating in AA meetings.

He gets entangled in a gruesome investigation when he is approached by a drug trafficker, Kenny Kristo (Dan Stevens). Kenny pleads for Scudder's support in discovering his kidnapped spouse, who was completely murdered in spite of paying the ransom. At first reluctant, Scudder's intrigue encourages him to take the case after hearing a tape of the murderous abductors abusing Kenny's better half.

The Investigation Diligence
As Scudder dives deeper into the case, he finds a series of similar kidnappings and harsh murders, all targeted at drug traffickers' loved ones. Realizing this is a serial crime case, Scudder dedicates himself to searching down the psychopathic killers.

Part of his investigation includes deal with TJ (Brian Bradley), a homeless, intelligent adolescent who assists in Scudder's questions. Their unlikely alliance includes an emotional depth to the gritty film and serves as a helpline for Scudder when he gets shot throughout one of his runs.

Climax
The climax sees the ruthless wrongdoers abducting the child of another drug dealer, Yuri Landau (Sebastian Roché). Scudder, with his meticulous planning and grit, browses a tense face-off at the killers' site. He kills one of them and gets shot while doing so. As the police show up following the mayhem, the other killer, having run away, falls into a trap laid by Scudder and dies.

Ending and Reconciliation
In the concluding scenes, Scudder reconciles with his past mistakes and guilt as a stopped working police officer and alcoholic. He acknowledges the importance of "apologizing", a style constant throughout the story and his AA conferences.

Last Thoughts
"A Walk Among the Tombstones" is a gripping noir thriller chock-full of thriller and dark undertones. Relying greatly on secret and the engaging efficiency of Liam Neeson, the movie provides a compelling representation of a distressed male's relentless pursuit of justice. Not avoiding explicit content, it successfully interacts the gruesome crimes sought out by Scudder. It's a movie with a satisfying, although ethically complicated, conclusion that casts a light on the depth of human depravity however also the redemption and resilience found in not likely places.

Top Cast