Who doesn’t enjoy a fun-filled, almost throwback, “road trip buddy action comedy”, especially when you’ve got a “slightly aging” hitman teamed up with his boss’s fish-out-of-water teenage son, where heart, humor, and hijinks abound? (And did I mention some terrific production values?) Well, that’s exactly what you get with LONDON CALLING.
Directed by Allan Ungar with script by Omer Levin Menekse, Allan Ungar, and Quinn Wolfe, LONDON CALLING stars Josh Duhamel as hitman Tommy Ward and the scene-stealing Jeremy Ray Taylor as Tommy’s young protege/babysitting charge. Also on hand are Aidan Gillen, Arnold Vosloo (everyone’s favorite “Mummy”), Rick Hoffman, and Daniel Lasker, who is a solid standout here as Julian’s LARP/cosplay foil, Bobby Barnabus.
LONDON CALLING is a simple story. After fleeing the UK from a hit job gone wrong, a down-on-his-luck Tommy is forced to babysit Julian, the 18-year-old son of his new crime boss Benson, and show him how to “become a man.” Of course, we have the requisite hitman tropes and action elements, complete with gunfights, car chases, and, in this case, some juvenile hijinks, and so much more. And all of it is fun.
But what elevates the simplicity of the story, which is packed with action and adventure, is the heartfelt bonding between Tommy and Julian, and the chemistry between Josh Duhamel and Jeremy Ray Taylor. As they embark on what can only be described as a “road trip buddy action comedy”, their growing quasi-paternal bond is palpable and makes your heart smile in between the laughs. There is a sweetness to this as we watch the dynamic between Tommy and Julian play out.
Casting Josh Duhamel as Tommy was ideal as we’ve seen Josh do action in films like “Bandit” (also directed by Allan Ungar), “Off the Grid”, or “Transformers”, drama like the adaptation of Nicholas Sparks “Safe Haven”, rom-coms like “When In Rome” and even pure comedy going all the way back to his first feature film, which is where I first took note of him, “Win A Date With Tad Hamilton.” There is nothing that Duhamel can’t do, and his range makes for a perfect tonal balance for the character of Tommy and for the film, as Tommy interacts more and more with Julian, providing the fun of a friend but also some needed parental guidance. Julian’s father, Jewish mob boss Benson, wonderfully played by veteran actor Rick Benson, is anything but a parent. Of course, neither is Duhamel’s Tommy, who some may describe as a deadbeat dad (But is he really?) Adding a really fun element to the mix, and which lets Tommy be the fish-out-of-water, is Julian’s beloved cosplay aka LARP – Live Action Role Play, which plays a big part in the development of Julian and in the ultimate relationship between Tommy and Julian.
The running theme of LARP, and the execution of these cosplay sequences, is extremely important for both Julian and Tommy, as LARP is central to Julian’s arc by immersing us in his world and his sense of community, showing us what motivates him, something he never gets from his father. On the flip side, LARP provides a way for Tommy to connect with Julian and bridge the gap between their worlds, laying the groundwork for emotional bonding and character development for both. (And let’s face it, LARP also taps into the big kid inside Josh Duhamel.)
Many of you may know Jeremy Ray Taylor best for his work in the series “Big Sky”, but in LONDON CALLING, as Julian, he goes toe-to-toe with Josh Duhamel and never falters. Thoroughly enjoyable is seeing Taylor in action sequences as a hapless, clueless, but earnest youth, just wanting to step up and help Tommy. Taylor is a breath of fresh air and delivers a resonant performance with character development that is believable and effective. Make sure you put Jeremy Ray Taylor on your radar, as this young man has the goods to go far.
Watching the bond between Tommy and Julian drive the story, as hitman hijinks abound thanks to Tommy’s eyesight and Julian’s inexperience with life, is, by itself, unabashedly fun. But thanks to the collaboration between Ungar and cinematographer Alexander Chinnici, the story and emotion are punctuated with not only beautiful imagery immersing us in London and Los Angeles, but also some outstanding montages that fuel the emotion of the story while showcasing Chinnici’s impressive skills and the visual grammar he and Ungar designed for this tale. Sun flares, slo-mo, saturation of color, bright sun. It is all spectacular.
Talking about spectacular, we’ve got to bring production designer Warren Gray, art director Kerry Von Lillienfeld, and set decorator Roberto Bassi into the conversation as they transform Cape Town and its surrounding desert suburbs in South Africa into London and Los Angeles. Their work is not only transformative but award-worthy. But for the beauty and clarity of the sun and blue sky, you would never know this wasn’t being shot in LA and London. And dare I say that LA should look even half as good as it does in this film?
Shooting in Cape Town, South Africa, gives the film an extra visual edge thanks to the sun and air quality which Chinnici uses to its best advantage for lighting, camera angles, and slightly saturated color, all of which make for a rich visual tonal bandwidth. Standout is the tonal specificity of each shot with its framing and focal length. We are immersed in this adventure often with a fly on the wall, in the corner of the ceiling shots, looking down on things. And there are also perfect eye-level shots. And how about those car-to-car shots? Making great use of the height and age differential between Duhamel and Taylor, we get the power dutching of Josh’s Tommy being the “adult” or the one in control, but that then shifts as Tommy and Julian get closer and they are more eye level with each other, metaphorically addressing the growing mutual respect and communication. And there are even moments where Julian gets the upper hand, which is beautifully reflected in the camera movement. Notable is Chinnici’s lensing of action sequences, where the film takes on a slightly harder and welcome edge, reminding us that this is the mob world that we are immersed in. Everything feeds into the story.
Jeff Seibenick’s editing is crisp and sharp as he weaves this tapestry of action, hitman shoot-outs, chase scenes, cosplay or LARP sequences, emotional beats, and the buildup of the individual backstories for Tommy and Julian, which contribute immensely to their buddy road trip camaraderie and are celebrated with gorgeous emotional montages. Not to be overlooked are the film’s very cool opening titles edited by Richard Starkey.
Completing this tapestried tale is Trevor Morris’s score. The score is wonderful, capturing the fun and adventure of a road trip, the intensity and rapidity of action, and the relationship between Tommy and Julian. Morris’s work perfectly balances the film’s action and comedy elements and is tonally appropriate for each scene and as an undercurrent to the entire film.
LONDON CALLING is a fun, fun movie that’s action-packed and filled with heart. There is a sweetness and joy as we watch this dynamic between Tommy and Julian play out, due in no small part to the impeccable casting of Josh Duhamel and Jeremy Ray Taylor.
Directed by Allan Unger
Written by Omer Levin Menekse, Allan Ungar, and Quinn Wolfe
Cast: Josh Duhamel, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Aidan Gillen, Arnold Vosloo, Rick Hoffman, and Daniel Lasker.
by debbie elias, 09/14/2025
LONDON CALLING is in theatres on September 19, 2025
