The Baker (2022)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Peter (Joel David Moore) hits the jackpot, when he stumbles across a bloody and botched drug deal at the airport. Peter has big plans to cash in, and start a new luxurious life with his mute daughter, Delphi (Emma Ho), but he’ll need his father’s help. Pappi (Ron Perlman), living a quiet life running a bakery, reluctantly agrees to look after Delphi, while Peter plans to unload a bag full of heroin. 

But Peter runs into a bigger problem, when Vic (Elias Koteas) surprises him at home. Vic is the main enforcer for The Merchant (Harvey Keitel), a powerful drug lord. The Merchant wants his product, but unbeknownst to Peter, Delphi switched out the heroin in the bag with her clothes.

Pappi goes on a mission to find out what happened to Peter, while being pursued by Vic, his cronies, and Detective Petra Weintrager (Samantha Kaine) and her partner, Detective Luca Rispoli (Paolo Mancini). Will Pappi be able to keep Delphi safe?

My Thoughts- Ron Perlman plays the old grizzled tough guy role with ease, but Pappi is also a man, who’s haunted by his past. The intense bouts of PTSD, and you can tell Pappi wishes he had a better relationship with his son. Perlman does a fantastic job of nailing Pappi’s whirlwind of emotions, and he easily delivers the best performance here.

The relationship between Pappi and Delphi is the driving force behind The Baker. There’s a point, where Pappi offers money to Peter’s neighbor to look after Delphi, because he believes he’s just not cut out to raise her, if Peter is dead.

The uneasy grandfather and granddaughter dynamic between Delphi and Pappi is executed to perfection. Pappi is the old and grouchy man, who doesn’t like showing his emotions. And Delphi is the frustrated young brat, who desperately needs a father figure, especially after her mother’s death.

Delphi is mute, but Emma Ho does a great job of conveying her emotions through facial expressions and body language. There’s some good laughs between the two, as Delphi tries to have fun with Pappi throughout the movie. On the other side of the comedic moments, there’s also a believable emotional layer for their relationship. Peter might be dead. Delphi is upset, and Pappi might’ve lost his son. Pappi and Delphi truly need each other. You can clearly see the ups and downs, while they’re trying to form a bond, and considering the circumstances, it’s a tough process for both of them.

Elias Koteas is always reliable for a solid performance. Vic is cold and efficient, but a life full of murder and crime is starting to take a toll on him. He’s serious about his job, but he’s also tired of living in fear of what The Merchant might do, if he doesn’t get the job done. Vic is moved by Peter’s love and devotion to his daughter. It’s a heavy burden for Vic, because the father/daughter relationship plays a big part in changing how he views his current situation.

Harvey Keitel’s appearances are limited. It’s an approach that really works, because it feels like a big deal, when The Merchant appears, and Keitel still brings the strong presence of a veteran actor. Joel David Moore looks like a goof during his brief screen time. He’s kind of a klutz, but he’s also a man who loves his daughter. Moore showed a lot of emotion, when he was facing certain death. Peter was beaten and bloodied, but all he could think about was leaving his daughter behind without a mother and father to raise her.

It’s a somber ending, when Vic shows Pappi the location of Peter’s body. Pappi decides to spare Vic’s life, while Vic seemed content with being put out of his misery. A good emotional moment, where Pappi knows comforting Delphi after her father’s death is more important than revenge. There’s a flashback, where Pappi remembers how he almost lost Peter in the woods, when he was a kid. The flashback meshes together, with Delphi eerily standing in a similar position that mirrors a young Peter, and it’s enough to snap him out of his rage.

The Merchant and Papi coming face to face is a big scene that’s rightfully saved for the final moments of the movie. It’s supposed to be a special moment, with two strong characters coming to a peaceful resolution for both of their problems. 

The Baker does provide some joy during the ending. Delphi finally speaks. She was traumatized after witnessing her mother’s death in a car accident (mom wasn’t wearing a seatbelt), so it’s a sign that Delphi trusts her grandfather, and she’s ready to move on. I wouldn’t call it a happy ending. It’s more of a start for new beginnings, while Delphi and Pappi try and figure out their lives together.

Who killed The Merchant? There’s a mid-credits scene that shows The Merchant’s death, but we never see the gunman. It had to be Vic? The Merchant is not the kind of man that tolerates failure. Vic knows he was on thin ice, so he had to kill The Merchant, while he still had the chance.

There’s a lot of mystery surrounding Pappi. He obviously faked his death, so he could have a chance at a normal life. But we still don’t know all of the fine details about his character, and that’s a good thing. I’m glad they didn’t turn Pappi into an invincible killing machine. Yes, he has the lethal skills, but Pappi is also an old man. He struggles in some of the fight scenes. Pappi having to really work to defeat some of the bad guys adds a touch of realism, because he’s at an age, where he can’t just easily tear through his opponents.

The Baker is a solid action film, featuring a good emotional story. They could’ve settled on taking the easy way out with a comedic approach. The old man, who’s a baker, with military training protecting his granddaughter from thugs? It sounds completely ridiculous. But the premise still worked for a more serious film, and that’s an impressive accomplishment.

Rating- 7/10