BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
A cop chases a serial killer for a few years who kidnaps, murders, and does all the normal evil things. This chase comes to a boiling point when things get extra personal. If someone told me that was what the movie was about before watching it I’d probably not be that enthusiastic about it. I assure you, “The Factory” is not one of those run of the mill thrillers. Not in the least. I’m not over-hyping it, but there is way more good about this movie than bad. This movie had parts that felt like you were watching a color-by-numbers crime drama from television. If you watch “Law and Order” or “Criminal Minds”, this kind of plot isn’t that engaging. What draws you in is the great acting, the pacing, and storytelling. This movie isn’t Shakespeare or anything. You won’t see it on a lot of “Best of 2013” lists, but that doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable. It’s almost an art house take on a tired cop thriller formula. It felt gritty and didn’t really slow down. The movie kept you engaged the entire time. I give a lot of the credit to the look of the movie. It felt almost nightmare-like in its surreally real tone. The acting is the reason I watched this to begin with. I’m a big John Cusack fan. I like the movies he’s in and I like what he does in those movies. I’m a fan of his old comedies, his new comedies, his dramas, his thrillers, and just about everything. I’m not a fan boy, but if I see his name in the credits of a movie I trust his judgment in movies and trust he’ll deliver an inspired performance. The risks he takes while maintaining his own sensibility is a big reason why I’d be comfortable in saying he’s probably my favorite actor. I’m also a fan of Jennifer Carpenter. She’s great and so fucking underrated on Dexter. I’ve enjoyed seeing her in other things and I think she has tons of potential once she starts getting more roles to really showcase her evident chops. So you put my favorite actor and one of my favorite television actresses in a movie and I’ll probably watch it. The rest of the cast is made up of Mae Whitman, Dallas Roberts, Michael Trevino, and other talented performers. I don’t want to spotlight and specific performance in fear of spoiling it. The cast was solid to say the least and generally everyone did great. This was just a fun ride of a movie. Even after all the fanatical backstory and reasoning, it’s just a good movie. You watch it, you become engaged, and it ends leaving you want more. It doesn’t try to be anything it is. What more can you ask for? B+
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