Name: One Day as a Lion
Genre: Action, Thriller, Crime
Released: 2023-04-04T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Scott Caan, Frank Grillo, Marianne Rendón, J.K. Simmons, Taryn Manning

The opening scene of One Day as a Lion is a knockout: Jackie Powers (Scott Caan), an ex-boxer turned hitman, sits in a roadside diner, the fluorescent lights casting harsh shadows on his weathered face. It’s a moment that promises grit and moral complexity, but the film squanders this potential almost immediately.

John Swab’s 2023 action thriller crime comedy follows Jackie as he tries to prevent his son from following in his criminal footsteps, all while evading his mob boss. The premise is ripe for exploration of themes like legacy, redemption, and the cyclical nature of violence. Yet, the film stumbles out of the gate with a screenplay that feels underdeveloped. The dialogue often clunks (a line like “I ain’t no sheep” lands with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer), and the plot meanders through familiar tropes without adding anything fresh.

Where One Day as a Lion succeeds is in its brisk pacing and occasional moments of dark humor. At 87 minutes, it never overstays its welcome, and Swab keeps the action moving at a breakneck pace. The diner scene, for instance, is tightly shot and edited, building tension with close-ups and rapid cuts that underscore Jackie’s paranoia. The car chase sequences are particularly effective, using practical effects and real locations to create a visceral sense of speed and danger.

But these bright spots can’t save the film from its glaring flaws. The performances, for the most part, feel one-note. Scott Caan tries to imbue Jackie with depth, but the character is too often reduced to a caricature of a tough guy with a heart of gold. Frank Grillo fares slightly better as the mob boss Pauly Russo, but even his performance lacks nuance. J.K. Simmons, usually a reliable actor, is underutilized in the role of Walter Boggs, and Marianne Rendón as Lola Brisky never gets enough screen time to make an impact.

The film’s biggest misstep is its attempt to emulate the Coen Brothers or Quentin Tarantino. The dialogue is overly stylized, and the violence is presented with a detached, almost comedic tone that doesn’t always land. The film tries to have it both ways—being a serious drama and a dark comedy—but ends up feeling tonally inconsistent.

In the end, One Day as a Lion feels like a missed opportunity. It has the makings of a compelling character study but is let down by its script, performances, and lack of originality.