Families can be a tough thing sometimes. Older generations always desire to pass on their legacy to the younger generations. For some families, they run a business. Should that business be successful, it is always the hope to pass down said business to the next generation. Sometimes you have a George Bailey type of situation. Where maybe you just wanted to help out for a bit but end up taking it over. It's like you have good intentions one minute and stop to blink. Then, boom, you're running the place.
That was a legitimate fear of mine growing up. My father had his own business detailing cars. For a while, the business was thriving. He had contracts with dealerships that kept him very busy. It looked like the business had a bright future. My father would often talk about my sister or I eventually taking over the business when we got older. I'm the furthest thing from a car guy you can get. By no means would that have been a good place for me to be. I would have been George Bailey in every way possible. If you've never seen It's a Wonderful Life, George ends up hating his life by the film’s third act. But hey, it's also a reminder that life doesn't always end up the way we think it will.
In his follow-up to 2017's Bright, David Ayer tackles the dirty side of family. The Tax Collector tells the story of David (Bobby Soto) and his family business collecting ''taxes" from neighborhood drug-dealing gangs. That is until a new shark enters into the water and threatens the order of things. I'll be honest, I hate how nostalgic I can be when watching some of David Ayer's movies; especially as a writer. This is the writer-director who gave us incredible movies like Training Day and Fury. Keep in mind, this is also the man that gave us Suicide Squad as well. There's nothing truly remarkable about his direction with this movie. There are some incredibly sloppy transitions between scenes ala Suicide Squad. Some of the editing is absolutely atrocious. Some of those issues equally exist within the script as well. Here's the weird thing about all of that though; those issues only seem to exist within the first half of the movie. It feels like Ayer had an idea for how he wanted to end the movie or where he wanted it to go. In that mentality, his groundwork for the foundation comes across an unbearable first act and a half with cheesy writing and shoddy editing. Tax Collector is the embodiment of a cinematic Frankenstein.
At the center of the film is Soto, and a somewhat ironically named Shia LaBeouf in the character of Creeper. Yes, I'm serious, that is his name. The very character name plays right into my complaints with the writing. Script issues aside, the two have incredible chemistry, completely reinventing the angel and devil dynamic. Throughout some of the film’s sloppier editing, we are treated to the depths of LaBeouf's evils. Throughout the actual film, though, LaBeouf is tamed, by Soto. However, it plays into their relationship and the uniqueness it presents. It's unfortunate because it feels like LaBeouf is kept back from his true potential. While Soto, on the other hand, is able to explore his character's journey far more. Which in the end allows Soto to truly stand out amongst the cast. It seems like every relationship Soto has throughout the film is his opposite. Whether it is LaBeouf or the film’s antagonist in Jose “Conejo” Martin. The use of the opposite that Ayer inflicts on audiences actually makes for a compelling central conflict and power struggle.
Overall, The Tax Collector is a mixed bag. Granted, it has great performances from stars Bobby Soto and Shia LaBeouf, but even star power isn’t enough to save this one. The film never allows either star to truly reach their true potential. Their performances feel like viewers are experiencing these arcs with training wheels. Thanks to sloppy editing, we get glimpses of character moments but never enough to satisfy. The editing is only the linchpin for the issues of Tax Collector. A cringy script and bizarre character interactions also add to the sins of the film. It finds a bit of redemption in its villain, played by Jose “Conejo” Martin. The duality between Soto and Martin make for an entertaining movie that allows a bit of forgiveness for the film’s otherwise poor result.
RORSCHAH RATING:
If you or someone you know is reading this right now and you are struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message or tweet to us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!
Victims and Villains is written Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey (and produced by), Caless Davis, Dan Rockwood, & Brandon Miller. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. This post was edited by Cam Smith. The Tax Collector is property of RJLE Films. We do not own nor claim any rights. The Tax Collector is opens in select theaters and available on all digital platforms August 7th 2020.
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