Ron Perlman is The Baker – Movie Review

After three Taken films starring an aging Liam Neeson and Stallone leading the charge through an Expendables franchise that’s keeping senior citizen butt-kickers on life support, you might think that the day of the grizzled, weathered action hero has run its course. I’m here to tell you that if The Baker is any indication, there’s still plenty of room for grumpy grandpas to lay the smack down on screen without the premise ever feeling old.

Recently I’ve been hearing a lot from Ron Perlman in animated movies such as Heroes of The Golden Mask and his role as Optimus Primal in the CGI/live action adventure of Transformers: Rise of The Beasts (speaking of series that are long in the tooth). But these vocal performances simply don’t have the same impact as seeing one of the most unique and expressive actors of the last 40 years strut his stuff for the camera.

In premise, this action-thriller from director, Jonathan Sobol sounds like your average revenge flick setup: THE BAKER centers on a quiet, solitary man whose estranged son suddenly comes back into his life with a granddaughter he never knew existed. When his son disappears on a shady business opportunity, the baker must do everything he can to find his son and protect his granddaughter from the mob hitmen sent to find her. True, the premise of bad guys threatening the loved ones of a man they didn’t know was dangerous has been done to death, but  The Baker is definitely a case of solid directing adding yeast to the cinematic dough, which causes the whole production to rise.

Sobol infuses the film with a growing sense of looming danger as the story unfolds, while keeping a careful balance on all the tricks of the filmmaking trade. For example, the lighting and camera angles used while Perlman’s titular Baker plies his trade as a form of therapy to combat PTSD caused by a violent past, sets the tone perfectly for the daily turmoil experienced by the owner of Pappi’s Bake Shop. But Perlman plays more than one note in the film, once his sourdough symphony of solitude is interrupted by a visit from his aloof son, Peter played by Joel David Moore.

The performative cocksure energy of Peter adds an interesting layer to his role as a single father caring for a daughter, who then endangers the child by taking advantage of an illegal opportunity that unfolds before him. A scene which, without spoiling anything, is fantastically shocking as it plays out with some entertaining fight choreography. When Peter drops his daughter off at the bakery to be babysat by a grandfather she’s never met, the real story of the film begins.

Perlman is the ideal prickly patriarch, grunting out his commands to Emma Ho as the granddaughter, Delphi, while providing commentary on her silent, but sassy nature. With his look in this film, I could honestly see the former Hellboy adding a role as a tough-talkin’ Santa Claus to his filmography in the near future to great effect. Lumbering around with the weight of the world on his shoulders, he has his own way of imparting wisdom to the younger generation with wit, grit and a pinch of humanity. The girl seems to have picked up the thieving inclinations of her father and is often caught stealing at different points in the film, which leads to greater complications for all involved. The way in which Perlman ultimately calls the girl out on her sticky fingers is an amazing piece of writing in a very solid screenplay by Paulo Mancini and Thomas Michael.

The greatest strength of The Baker is it’s decision to show, not tell. Taking full advantage of the visual medium that movies are meant to be, the film uses words sparingly to great effect. Once Peter goes missing after being confronted by Elias Koteas as a struggling enforcer for a drug dealing operation, the film moves to many different locations. The audience can feel the film rev up as Perlman sets out with his precocious granddaughter in tow, using his “very particular set of skills” in locating Peter…or his body.

The reluctant, yet determined nature of Perlman’s pursuit of justice is a fascinating one. Though initially his only motivation to find Peter seems to be to deliver girl to her father and get back to his self-imposed exile amongst his baked goods, the bonding scenes between the two soon soften his heart. These are far from sappy, tear jerking moments you’d expect in Lifetime movie. Both Delphi and The Baker are headstrong, capable individuals who become partners in the violent adventure, causing them to develop a mutual respect in fascinating ways. These two are the heart of the film and it beats strong.

It is with great relief that I can report that Harvey Keitel and Elias Koteas as the mobster villains are far from phoning in their performances in The Baker. With decades of amazing character work under their belts, the two provide gravitas worthy of a Scorsese film. It’s wonderful to see the respect for the material on screen from actors of this caliber, even if the budget his far from the studio productions which most audience members would know them from. The attention given to the B-plot of Koteas’, Vic, who is losing his nerve and being called out on his mistakes by Keitel as the boss is a nice touch in the script that adds texture to the story. I also want to point out the hilarious Varun Satanga as a drug dealer named Mani, who provides some solid laughs during his scenes with Perlman.

As I bring this review to a close, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the excitement of the action scenes in The Baker as promised by the film’s poster. Much like the screenplay, the fight scenes are efficient and pack a punch. You’re not going to see 73 year old Ron Perlman fling his fists at lightning speed or land a roundhouse kick, but the filmmaker uses the actor’s imposing frame and significant reach in creative ways, as the character battles his way through the the toughs who can lead him to the location of his son. Much like John Wick, The Baker is far from invincible and the fights take their toll, raising the stakes with each encounter. If you’re coming for bloody fists and broken bones, you’ll get your money’s worth.

The Baker is ultimately much like the loaf of bread that plays a central part in the plot, crusty and hard on the outside, warm and soft on the inside. It’s got enough violence and attitude for action movie fans, while displaying real human emotion from each of it’s main characters as the story plays out in very entertaining and satisfying fashion. 

The Baker will be released to theaters on July 28th and is definitely worth seeing on the big screen in your local theater.