2 out of 5

Director: Craig Viveiros

‘Liability’ is classic ‘seems like it’s about more but it’s not’ film-making, with a watchable but not exactly likeable lead.  Jack O’Connell is Adam, all pissy Brit vinegar, not happy with his mom’s new boyfriend.  He wrecks an expensive car, and boyfriend – whom Adam knows ain’t involved in the most scrupulous of professions – lays down some laws for Adam to work off his debt.  And then a job:be a driver for an associate of mine.  Associate is Tim Roth.  He’s probably a killer, which Adam gleans rather quick, and cue some funny mismatched interactions between the chatty bratty teen and the silent assassin.  Of course, the nature of this driving job isn’t all its cracked up to be, but that doesn’t stop Adam’s gleeful attempts at helping Roth with various to-dos along the way, almost always fudging it up.  Dark comedy?  Probably.  And it’s entertaining.  Roth is great as the always calm Roy, and O’Connell plays a perfect snotty kid, but tunes it down just enough that we can watch from his perspective.  But there’s still a problem of why, exactly, we’re watching.  Adam’s vehement reaction to some violence early on suggests the film’s going to be about his rooting out his mother’s boyfriends secrets… but then Adam eagerly jumps all over opportunities to be just as vile.  And Roth has several speeches about attention to detail but allows for a surprising amount of chance to mess up his jobs.  And then you’re waiting for the subplot shoe to drop and it does… and it’s pretty much a blend of what you think plus some extra details that end up not mattering.  Director Viveiros does a good job handling the material without unnecessary panache and the cinematography is fittingly chilly.  But there are more exciting thrillers out there, and ones with funnier moments or more interesting twists or more compelling characters.