16 Blocks (2024)

16 Blocks

Bruce Willis portrays the role of Jack Mosley, an aging alcoholic in 16 Blocks, who is a cop who is exhausted and lacks the strength to enforce the law. He is amongst dead bodies and white powder when he is commanded by one of the police officers, “Sit on this until the uniforms get here.” Inside his house, Jack starts digging for something. He pours out some drink for himself and then sits down as he waits for the patrol officers. Then he goes back to the office where he requests his secretary to give him some mints.

Jack’s shift ends. He does not want another assignment at all. But his boss has told him that he must take a witness from two blocks away all the way to court and that it had to be done within two hours or else there will be no witness before grand jury’s term elapse. In an endless monologue about how bad things are for him, Eddie Bunker (Mos Def), a motor mouthed character played by Mos Def unendingly complains about everything including how he was treated in life etc. Eddie speaks with such voice that would rather listen nails on blackboard instead of Kenny G.

Piece of cake job it seems! Just put someone in a car and drive them 16 blocks! Jack cannot walk even through the 16 blocks. His next stop is at the liquor store to stock up on booze. On coming out of it, he sees some suspicious guy making wrong moves towards their witnesses seating inside cars; hence Jack kills him rightly because it was an evolving decision making process under those circumstances. He learns that somebody besides wants Eddie dead so takes him into friendly saloon and calls his superior officer.

Not really smart choice though! Frank Nugent (David Morse), his boss, operates corruptly while dealing drugs within police force circles . This man along with few others does not desire Eddie Bunker testifying at all cost as well as knowing that already. That much is clear to Jack. He knows it because he is one of them himself, a corrupt officer, but there is something about Eddie Bunker’s innocence; maybe that makes him believe in Jack more than anyone else and also could be the reason why he can’t stop talking. But Eddie is about to be killed at the bar when Jack shoots a cop and saves his life. Now both are legal.

That’s the beginning of “16 Blocks,” which is just about the right pace for an older alcoholic chasing movie made with a middle-aged alcoholic in mind. Unlike last week’s Running Scared, pitched only slightly below mania, 16 Blocks feels more like a character study, a two hander showing how fed up Jack has been with the department all along and Eddie’s easy going nature that has won some points for him. Of course it remains to be seen whether Eddie really is just another nutty motormouth or not but right now this isn’t something Jack has time to solve.

Richard Donner, who specializes in the combination of action sequences, chase scenes and humor (as seen in, for instance, ‘Lethal Weapon’), directed this movie. He begins with three excellent performances Bruce Willis, old yet obstinate; Mos Def who is practically talking all the time (more or less); David Morse, as wicked as he is petty.

The chase scenes are through Chinatown (of course), a jam in traffic and a bus standoff that might owe something to 2002 Brazilian film Bus 174. This is not at all new but it is done well and Mos Def does same thing that Austin Pendleton did in Dirty Work which was my subject two weeks ago: he comes out of left field with a character performance which is completely unexpected in an action movie. Initially I found it annoying. Then I started thinking there may be something more beneath the surface. Finally I could get the buried message which was frightened, sincere and hiding behind self-satire. However, I did not necessarily believe the story about bakery.

There was one scene that caused me trouble. It features an ambulance. In fact, it involved two ambulances, and that’s where my problem lies. Probably one more shot or another line of dialogue would have placed me better but for a moment there I thought some characters had walked into another dimension somewhere downstairs there.. The plot device was explained by Dann Gire to me who presides over Chicago Film Critics Association another reason his picture should be put up in every post office and school house.

The rock-bottom upon which this script stands firmly is Bruce Willis’ doggedness as depicted by his character Jack., Jack may be middle aged; he may be tired; he may be balding; he may be drunk but if he were played by Bruce Willis then you don’t want to bet against him here actually most definitely will beat you because, He gets the look in his eye that says: “It’s going to be a pain in the ass for me to do this, but I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t.” That is something which I always find more credible than a glance that merely speaks: “I will overcome since this is an action picture and I am playing the hero.”

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