3 Star

Nurture Defines a Path.

Writer/ director Michele Civetta (Agony) brings us his second feature, where he shares the writing credits with Alex Felix Bendaña and Andrew Levitas (Minamata). Between them, they bring us a dark and gritty tale of a man that has lived a life and now he wants to make sure that those that cannot look after themselves get to have a life to live in The Gateway.

For not an orphan in the wide world can be so deserted as the child who is an outcast from a living parent’s love.

Charles Dickens

Parker Bode (Shea Whigham, Death Note, Vice Principals (TV Series)) is a middle-aged man that was at one time a boxing champion, but now he is an alcoholic social worker. He spends his time in the projects visiting his young wards, and he takes his job very seriously, a bit too seriously for his co-workers and some of the parents he is involved with.

He takes so long on his job that when he finishes up, it is dark and a couple of youths have smashed his window and jacked his stereo, he will get revenge. When off duty, he spends his time in a bar with owner Gary (Mark Boone Junior, Batman Begins, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Sons of Anarchy (TV Series)) playing chess.

After spending the night in a chair, he gets a call from Ashley (Taegen Burns, Blue Ridge, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers (TV Series)) his young ward who is being cared for by her mother Dahlia (Olivia Munn, X-Men: Apocalypse, The Predator), while her father Mike (Zach Avery, Fury, Farming) is in prison on a long stretch. Dahlia is late home from work so Parker drives over and gets Ashley in the car as Dahlia gets home from her shift at the casino. She is clearly under the influence of something, so Parker takes Ashley to school.

Across town, a turn-up-for-the-books is occurring as Mike is suddenly released early from prison. He is picked up by Louis (Alexander Wraith, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV Series), Greystone Park) (strange that). But instead of rushing home to see his wife and daughter, they go straight to Kingpin Duke (Frank Grillo, The Grey, Captain America: The Winter Soldier) where he tells the tale of a couple of bricks of cocaine that have been misplaced, and he knows where to find them.

When Mike does get home, we find out what sort of man Mike is, that is when Mike and Parker meet and when the sparks start to fly.

The Gateway is a slow burner, but that gives you time to understand Parker and what drives him. It is also great to see legend Bruce Dern (Silent Running, The Hateful Eight) as the object of Parkers’ hatred.

A thoughtful film.

Signature Entertainment presents The Gateway on Digital Platforms 27th September & DVD 5th October