By: John Allen
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6557356
The Grand Son from Uncork’d Entertainment, starring Rhys Wakefield and Oscar Nominated actress, Lesley Ann Warren (Victor/Victoria) is a taut cat and mouse thriller. The story revolves around Tod (Wakefield) a spoiled and entitled brat from the Hollywood Hills, who lives with his Grandmother (Warren) a former movie star who is now hosting a failing home shopping show. Tod devises a scheme to keep him and his family in a manner to which they have been accustomed even if it means murder and betrayal.
To market The Grand Son (FKA American Pets) as a horror movie is a stretch that can’t be reached, however it is a searingly terrific crime drama. With shades of The Talented Mr. Ripley and Cruel Intentions, the tone of the movie slides along very nicely. Rhys Wakefield as the malicious yet charming Tod is a delight to watch, with his sinister swagger and cool calculations. In fact Wakefield is so good in this movie it made me look up his other credits and I hope to see more high profile work from this talented actor. Lesley Ann Warren is equally delectable with her acid tongue, and scathing delicious bitchiness, as she manipulates and orders about everyone who is within her little kingdom.
The direction of The Grand Son by Robert Logevall is wonderful with its use of camera angles and juxtapositions. Every shot is appropriate and mood building. There are a few suspensions of disbelief that one has to overlook, police not searching a house when convention and good practice dictates they would, a body not ripening after a couple of days, but these are minute criticisms in an otherwise intriguing script.
The Grand Son works very well as a crime drama, with its twists and turns. It is professionally done, artistically filmed, and superbly acted, truth be told, I would gladly watch it again .
4 out of 5
The Grand Son releases digitally on 8/14 and DVD on 11/6.
