Reader Recommends: Repo Men (2010)

I wasn't really sure what to watch today since I made such a bad choice yesterday. Luckily I didn't have to decide on my own, and got some help from twitter user @Qu33n0f633k5 who said I should watch Repo Men starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker. Of course I actually only watched this because I had already seen her first suggestion of Repo! The Genetic Opera. Now there's a weird movie! If you want to see a creepy messed up musical, can't do better than that one. At any rate, since I had already seen Repo, Repo Men would have to make due. Check out my thoughts on this futuristic thriller on the other side of the jump.


Remy (Jude Law) and Jake (Forest Whitaker) are Repo Men, but not the usual kind. In this near-future story, they work for a company that sells artificial organs and other various body parts. When you can't make your payment and your 3 month grace period lapses, they send a skilled technician to reclaim the property. Unfortunately this usually means you're left unconscious, bleeding out on the floor, missing an organ. Particularly not good if it's a heart or your spine. I told you they did more than organs! Anyways, after a freak accident, Remy awakes to find himself in the hospital needing a heart. He was heartless, until they gave him one. Now in the same position as the "clients" he finds himself suddenly unable to do his job. And with no financial income, it's hard to make those payments. He soon finds himself on the run from his best friend Jake. Hey man, a job's a job, right?

Remy and Jake take a moment to enjoy their work

I'm not sure why, but I didn't expect Repo Men to be as bloody and graphic as it was. I think I was under the impression that it would be the kind of movie to just not show what they were doing, but you really see them get in there! It was a little shocking, but in a good way. It was cool to see these hard stainless steel implants embedded inside the people. Seeing the aftermath is also pretty hard hitting, especially in one scene later in the movie.

Jude Law was a bit of a surprise to me in this one. The last couple movies I've seen him in, Gattaca and Contagion he's been rather subdued in his roles. But in Repo Men he's a totally believable action bad ass! I don't think I've ever seen him in an action role before, or if I have it hasn't stuck in my head. But this has to be his most action packed role ever. He's practically a ninja in this! Very impressive to say the least.

Time to kick some ass!

As for the other characters, I thought they all did a good job. Forest Whitaker is ominous when he needs to be, and their boss Frank, played by Liev Schreiber, is a perfect heartless jerk. There's even a cool, if short, scene with John Leguizamo. I really wish he was in the movie more, but even though he has a decent sized speaking role, he's not even credited in the film. Alice Braga is Jude Law's partner on the run once he decides to take off. She's this cute lounge singer he always liked and it turns out she's pretty much held together with implants, all overdue. She has some real gross scenes, but she was good and seemed to have some decent chemistry with Jude Law.

Overall I was surprised and enjoyed Repo Men. Jude Law was a surprisingly good action star and I wouldn't mind seeing him in more roles like that. Perfect balance of smart and tough. Some might not like the ending, but it didn't bother me. While it wasn't the most amazing movie I've ever seen, it was still good, so if you have some free time and this is an option for viewing, give it a shot, it just might surprise you.