One Way is an interesting, unpredictable sort of genre bending thriller that shouldn't be judged by its cover, which makes it out to be an action flick. Not even close. It's the story of several different characters who intersect by the mistakes they make, and the lengths they go for redemption and revenge. In the opening sequence we see a young girl pursued by a pack of perverted hooligans through the woods. After being sexually assaulted, she is visited by a hulking military general (the excellent Michael Clarke Duncan) who seems to be her guardian angel, brutally dispatching the youths with an automatic machine gun. The story then switches randomly to a cocky, adulterous ad executive (Til Schweiger trying hard not to ham it up) who's in crisis with his suspecting wife, arrogant boss (Art Hindle), and his boss's son, a vile prick with a penchant for sexual assault himself. Lauren Lee Smith plays the older version of our heroine in the prequel, whose continuing story collides with Schweiger's predicament for some really surprising thrills that take you by surprise. It's a really unique setup, without any sort of warning or conventional intuition as to where it's going to take us, and eventually gets to some dark places of morally frightening danger. Smith is excellent in the intense lead role that requires some harrowing work, which she pulls off without a hitch. Sebastian Roberts is a snivelling little piece of human garbage as the boss's son and Schweiger's brother in law, and provides an antagonist that you just love to hate, and gets what's coming to him in a a disgusting sequence that lets just say, sneaks up on you....from behind. Michael Clarke Duncan is only around for a few scenes but makes his usual impression, and is unforgettable as the sympathetic general. Eric Roberts shows up out of nowhere in the third act, nailing his role as a slick defence attorney, and Kenneth Welsh kills it as the rival lawyer. Stephanie Von Pfetten is heartbreaking as Schweiger's put upon wife who has deep issues of her own that come piling out in a devastating courtroom sequence. If you enjoy thrillers that spin a left field, unconventional narrative where you never really quite know who's who or where things are going, give this one a watch. It's a unique treat.
Review of One Way
