Review by Jon Donnis
Clean, directed by Paul Solet is about a bin man called Clean, played by Adrien Brody, he has a long violent history, and is trying to lead a life of redemption. But soon ends up having to deal with a crime boss who has targeted him.
Adrien Brody having written, produced and acted in this film, clearly sees this film as a vehicle for him to display his many skills. Now whether it is Nominative Determinism, or just a nickname, Brody plays a character called Clean, who is a trash collector, or Bin Man was we say in the UK. He has lost his daughter, which we find out through flash backs, and has befriended a next-door neighbour, who acts as something of a replacement daughter for him. Dianda (played by Chandler DuPont) has lost her mother so lives with her Grandmother. Clean helps out when the Grandmother is busy, or just plain neglectful of her granddaughter, and takes the girl to school or out for dinner. Yes, I know it all sounds a bit strange but it's a plot point needed for the film.
Dianda ends up going to a party with a group of drug dealers and rapists, because of course she did. Clean, of course comes to the rescue, and beats everyone who with a wrench. At the same time, you have the son of a mob boss, who is hanging around with that group, and his mafia type father is unhappy, you see, he is white and the druggies are black!
Whereas this film should really have been nonstop action, with fun one liners, it is just way too dull for way too long. And when an action film takes 45 minutes plus, to even attempt to get your attention, you start to realise that the people making the film, care more about their own egos, than they do entertaining the audience.
The Good
The fight scenes are brutal and well made.
The Bad
The story is clichéd, there are too many long dull periods, and the racial dynamics are thrown in, without any really effort to present them in a way that would make the viewer care.
Overall
Get past the first 45 minutes, and you might find some enjoyment in the action scenes. But by then it is too late for me, they lost me, i no longer cared.
I score Clean a poor 5/10
Out Now on Digital
