By Jay Betsill
“Parker” stars action superstar Jason Statham as a professional thief with a code of ethics — he doesn’t steal from those who can’t afford it or hurt people that don’t deserve it — and after he is double-crossed by his crew, he sets out for revenge.
Following a successful job taking the gate money from the Ohio State Fair, Parker’s four partners leave him for dead after he refuses to work with them on the next score due to the crew’s unprofessional standards. Having barely survived, Parker is found by a family of tomato farmers who take him to the hospital and he barely escapes before the police arrive.
Parker discovers that his former partners are set up in West Palm Beach in anticipation of a $50 million jewelry auction they plan to rob.
Parker arrives in south Florida, posing as a wealthy Texan named Daniel Parmitt, looking to buy an expensive home. Enter Leslie Rodgers (Jennifer Lopez), a depressed, unsuccessful real-estate agent living with her mother, struggling financially after a divorce and in search of a big commission.
She soon discovers that Parker is not who he appears to be and they team up using her local knowledge to help him settle the score. In return for helping Parker, Leslie will get a cut from when he hijack’s the diamonds from his former partners after they steal them.
The crew led by Melander (Micheal Chiklis) was introduced to Parker by his mentor Hurley (Nick Nolte) as freelancers, but it turns out that they are connected to a powerful crime syndicate (is there any other kind) in Chicago.
Directed by Taylor Hackford (An Officer and a Gentleman, Against All Odds, Devil’s Advocate, Ray), he told the Palm Beach Daily News, “I’m a fan of Donald Westlake. I really think he’s a fabulous writer … very unique in the area of crime because his Parker series.”
The film is adapted from Flashfire, the 19th Parker novel, written by the late Donald Westlake under the pen name Richard Stark.The character has appeared in movies such as “Point Blank” in 1967 starring Lee Marvin (as Walker) and in 1999 as “Payback” starring Mel Gibson (as Porter).
“Parker” is a fun action movie that was a modest hit at the box office ($46 million) when it was released in 2013, but it has found a new life in March 2021 atop the Netflix most-watched movies.
“Parker” is currently streaming on Netflix and available for rent on Amazon Prime.
PARKER (Rated R)
Scale of 1-10: 7 1/2
