The Tax Collector (2020)

Writer/director Ayers' work for me is a pretty mixed bag. The Tax Collector is a good example of that. Some of it works for me, a lot of it doesn't. Unfortunately is the sort of movie that's more cliches than story or character, and uses a a rather tired story to justify a violent climax for entertainment purposes.

This is the story of a guy who gets involved in the gang scene and ends up paying the price. He's a good man but gets involved with bad people. Its the same old morality tale we've seen a million times. It's all really predictable and, as I said, cliche. And all of it, the saintly wife (who doesn't deserve what his "career" brings her) to the kidnapping of his children, is all set up as a justification for a sadistically violent ending which goes over the top. While I can see the cathartic value in the revenge genre, this one feels like it is missing authenticity. That it is tired and a little lazy.

The film does try to make something here with LaBeouf's character, The Creeper, a lovable monster, but that sort of plays into the same problems the rest of the film has.  He's more a cliche than something original. He is good in the role and the actor brings something to it which is very watchable. But the way he's written there is only so much he can do with it.

Soto shows some real potential for a leading man future. Again he does well with what he is given and has the sort of charisma that makes us want to follow him into an adventure. He is up to the task of giving us a real feeling performance.

But in the end The Tax Collector feels too brief to truly build to what it is trying to do. The Tax Collector isn't a complete failure but it really should be more.

The Tax Collector 
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Bobby Soto, George Lopez, Cinthya Carmona, Jimmy Smitts
Writer/Director: David Ayer