''Adverse'' is a 2020 American

crime thriller film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

written and directed by

Brian Metcalf Brian A. Metcalf is an American filmmaker. He wrote, directed and produced the Lionsgate crime thriller film ''Adverse'', released in February 2021. Biography Metcalf directed the micro-budgeted drama/thriller ''The Lost Tree''. The premiere was ...

and starring Thomas Nicholas,

Lou Diamond Phillips Louis Diamond Phillips ( born Upchurch; February 17, 1962) is a Filipino-American actor and film director. His breakthrough came when he starred as Ritchie Valens in the biographical drama film '' La Bamba'' (1987). For ''Stand and Deliver'' (198 ...

Sean Astin Sean Patrick Astin (né Duke; February 25, 1971) is an American actor. His acting roles include Samwise Gamgee in ''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (2001–2003), Mikey Walsh in ''The Goonies'' (1985), Daniel Ruettiger in ''Rudy'' (1993), Doug ...

, Kelly Arjen,

Penelope Ann Miller Penelope Ann Miller (born Penelope Andrea Miller; January 13, 1964), sometimes credited as Penelope Miller, is an American actress. She began her career on Broadway in the 1985 original production of '' Biloxi Blues'' and received a Tony Award n ...

, and

Mickey Rourke Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke Jr. (; born September 16, 1952) is an American actor and former boxer who has appeared primarily as a leading man in drama, action, and thriller films. During the star of the 1980s, Rourke played supporting roles i ...

. It premiered at the

Fantasporto Fantasporto, also known as Fantas, is an international film festival, annually organized since 1981 in Porto, Portugal. Giving screen space to Fantasy film, fantasy/Science fiction film, science fiction/Horror film, horror-oriented commercial fe ...

Film Festival, Portugal's largest film festival, on February 28, 2020. The film earned Metcalf a Platinum Remi Award at the

WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival The WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival, founded in 1968, is an annual film festival held annually in April in Houston, Texas. Notable festival alumni include John Lee Hancock, who wrote and directed the Oscar-winning film '' The Blind S ...

. The film was released theatrically in the United States on February 12, 2021, by

Lionsgate Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, doing business as Lionsgate, is a Canadian-American entertainment company. It was formed by Frank Giustra on July 10, 1997, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is currently headquartered ...

. The film received a 75% rating at

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

Premise

A rideshare driver discovers that his sister is in debt to a dangerous crime syndicate.

Cast

* Thomas Nicholas as Ethan *

as Dr. Cruz *

as Frankie * Kelly Arjen as Mia *

as Nicole *

as Kaden * Jake T. Austin as Lars * Matt Ryan as Jake *

Andrew Keegan Andrew Keegan (born January 29, 1979) is an American actor best known for his roles in television shows including '' Trinkets'', '' Moesha'', ''Party of Five'' and '' 7th Heaven'' and in films such as ''10 Things I Hate about You'' (1999), ''The ...

as Jan * Aaron Schwartz as Detective Mitchell *

Charlene Amoia Charlene M. Amoia (born September 25, 1982) is an American actress. She is best known for her recurring role as Wendy the Waitress in the sitcom ''How I Met Your Mother''. Her film credits include ''American Reunion'' (2012), ''Authors Anonymous'' ...

as Mary * Jesse Garcia as Detective Ranie *

as Dante

Production

Principal photography began in Los Angeles in October 2018. On January 17, 2019, it was confirmed that filming had been completed.

Release

''Adverse'' had its world premiere at FantasPorto 2020, a film festival held in Oporto, Portugal, in February 2020. The film was theatrically released in the United States on February 12, 2021, by Lionsgate.

Critical reception

Variety's Joe Leydon reviewed the film stating "Writer-director Brian A. Metcalf’s indie offering boasts some impressive rough stuff and a surprisingly affecting turn by Mickey Rourke." The film was praised by critics, carrying a 75% rating at

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 8597594 2020 films 2020 crime thriller films 2020 thriller drama films 2020 crime drama films American crime drama films American crime thriller films American neo-noir films American thriller drama films Films shot in Los Angeles 2020s English-language films 2020s American films