If your life has lacked meaning because you hadn't seen a film about the life of a tow-truck driver, 22 Chaser can be that answer you've needed to a question you may never have asked.
Ben Dankert (American actor Brian J. Smith) takes the high road but is a very poor protagonist. Being a tow truck "chaser" is very tempting. Even though they prey on victims of car accidents, chasers make a lot more money.
Ben has to consider his wife Avery (Kaniehtiio Horn) and their son, who gets picked on for being poor.
The plot piles on to Ben's financial woes: His boss (John Kapelos) demands a large rental payment from Ben based on a theoretical police contract that hasn't been signed. Ben also takes a $5,000 loan from a corrupt police officer as part of a loan-shark deal.
The film also features Aaron Ashmore and American actor Raoul Trujillo.
22 Chaser can be seen through the lens of a stereotypical American film exploring masculinity levels. The nighttime shots of tow trucks in motion in Toronto are surprisingly intriguing.
The script from Jeremy Boxen and direction from Rafal Sokolowski offers a broader perspective on the pros and cons of those masculinity contrasts. That makes the film a lot more interesting.
Kaniehtiio Horn normally plays strong women. Horn has limited opportunities in a male-dominated film. She handles them pretty well, given her limited screen time.
22 Chaser is not a subtle film. This is a violent film. There may be triggering moments from car crashes to fights to toxic masculinity itself. If these are not triggers, the 2018 film is pretty interesting. Great film? No, not even close. You've seen a lot worse films.
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22 Chaser is available on Freevee in the United States.
photo credit: 22 Chaser
video credit: Wicked Movie Trailers
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