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I want to help you John, but this help comes with a warning
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I'm going to watch you very carefully. And the moment there is any sign of trouble, you are out. Sure
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Painkillers is a 2019 thriller about a surgeon who becomes afflicted by a mysterious disease
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after the death of his son. It is a very interesting premise that never lives up to its full potential
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Painkillers is filled with strange editing. The beginning feels like the start of a television show, while the last 20 minutes are odd and
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poorly paced. The film uses way too many sudden cuts. There definitely is a deep story here, but the movie just can't seem to adequately tie
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it all together. The entire premise for the movie is flimsy. Dr. John Huss is a strong candidate for worst father ever
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He obviously loves his son, but driving with the lights off at night and not watching the
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road can only lead in one direction. The movie is also littered with generic dialogue
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Each character says exactly what they should, and when it isn't cheesy, it's just plain bad
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Grant Bowler gets the worst of this since he plays a supposedly suave villain, but is
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given the film's worst lines. Once John discovers the cure for a strange disease, whose origin manages to include PTSD
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and 9-11, things do manage to pick up. Immediately, the audience is able to make a connection to the opening scene
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Painkiller sets a mood of unpredictability that lasts the rest of the movie
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It also does a great job of addressing the alternatives to dealing with the mysterious disease
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John's affliction would be a difficult one to live with, but there are also obvious ways
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to handle it, especially since he is a doctor. Every obvious answer is dealt with, making the movie much more intriguing
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Painkillers also manages to be touching at times. John's disease has ruined his life, he has lost his son, his job, and the seemingly one
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alternative he has is not one he is willing to take. Watching how he attempts to live his new life are the movie's most powerful moments
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This is seen most poignantly in the moments when he is driving, and while the ending has
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a rushed and anticlimactic feeling, it also does a great job of conveying a sense of acceptance
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and hope. Painkiller is a good idea that never lives up to its intriguing potential
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The idea for a good story is there, but poor dialogue and pacing offset the engaging tale
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