Asher (2018)

Directed by: Michael Caton-Jones | 117 minutes | drama, thriller | Actors: Famke Janssen, Ron Perlman, Marta Milans, Richard Dreyfuss, Jacqueline Bisset, Peter Facinelli, Guy Burnet, Blake Perlman, David Wohl, Micah Hauptman, Ned Eisenberg, Jay Hieron, Bobby Daniel Rodriguez, Wyatt Lozano, William Perry, Joseph Siprut

Asher (Ron Perlman) is a former ‘soldier’ ​​of the Mossad, the Israeli secret service, who in his old age serves as a hitman in an ‘old boys network gang’. A loner, who lives Spartan and gets his pleasure from a good wine and good food. He gets his orders from Avi (Richard Dreyfuss) through middleman/tailor Abram (Ned Eisenberg). Asher prefers to work alone and does his chores according to his own proven method.

Via via, he becomes unwell during a job as a result of an old war wound, he comes into contact with ballet teacher Sophie (Famke Janssen). Under pressure from Avi, Asher is tempted to take on a revenge assignment, a job he must complete with the young gang of his student Uziel (Peter Facinelli). When he is nearly killed after the job himself, by someone from his own organization, it’s up to the old school hit man Asher to finally clean up. To protect the also threatened Sophie, with whom he would like to continue and to ‘not always have to keep looking over your shoulder’.

Ron Perlman (“Hellboy”, “Drive”) is also involved as a producer on this Michael Caton-Jones (“City by the Sea”, “This Boy’s Life” and “Scandal”) film, in his own words “because he wanted to make the film.” Unfortunately, the film does have some flaws. Richard Dreyfuss uses an accent that is too thick and cannot be taken seriously. In addition, the film is almost two hours too long. Some scenes are drawn out too much, in an hour and a half the end product might have turned out better. Remarkable is the nice supporting role of good old Jacqueline Bisset. She plays Dora, Sophie’s mother with dementia.

The story of the hit man who, once enslaved by a wench, wants to get out of the criminal life, is well known. Nor is it the fault of Perlman and Janssen that ‘Asher’ does not want to convince. Both make the most of it. However: the pace and the script could have been a bit more spicy. In an action film you expect action and that comes too rarely. But, Perlman as hitman? With his characteristic head and his no nonsense acting, this role seems to fit him perfectly. Now it’s time to find the right screenwriter and ‘Asher II’ should almost get off the ground. Because some things just taste better when they get older….