Writer/director Daniel Roby decided not to take the easy route when bringing the based on real events story of an CSIS cover up which left a Canadian man dying in a Thai prison. He tells the story from two angles at once, one story set far after the other, until they dovetail and crescendo to their climax. It's an effective tool for a film which sometimes becomes a bit heavy handed but remains entertaining throughout.The cast does great work. Hartnett, freed from his career start heartthrob status, is now able to do character work. His character here has a little too much hero complex, but he pulls it off. Pilon, from Mommy, is quite strong here as he was in that film, bringing a complexity to his junkie character which helps us get into his shoes. But for me is was Gaffigan, cast completely against type, playing a sleazy exploitative low level criminal who steals the show.
A little long, but in the end satisfying, Target Number One manages to tell a very compelling story. It balances the creative license these ripped from the headlines movies have to take with getting the point of the actual events across very effectively. I wish Roby wasn't so dedicated to his wobbly cam (probably for the documentary effect it supposedly creates) which made the film a bit nausea inducing, but he does make this feel authentically powerful. A bit of editing might have helped but over all it is a satisfying film.
Target Number One/Most Wanted
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Antoine Oliver Pilon, Jim Gaffigan, Stephen McHattie, Don McKeller
Writer/Director: Daniel Roby
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