The Kane Files: Life of Trial (2010) User Reviews

Oblique title. Decent thriller

[cmoyton · 6/10 · 21 April 2012]

I must admit i was pleasantly surprised upon watching this movie. The plot bears similarities to John Q and Inhale, in which again we see parents forced to take desperate measures in order to save their sick children's lives via organ transplants. Here Kane (played by Drew Fuller) reunites with a local hood (played by William Atherton)to perform one job ie a hit, in order to earn the funds required for his child's heart operation. Of course events do not go as planned with Kane being betrayed and then subsequently being squeezed both by the FBI and a corrupt cop.

For a low budget movie the direction is mainly good (bar a few shaky camera movements) and the acting is decent. It helps having veteran actors William Devane and William Atherton on board. Ethan Embry also deserves credit in his role as the corrupt police officer(Olsen) who makes it his mission to track down Kane. Embrys' character is so mean he even kills his sister in law as she lies trapped and injured in a car wreck just to save his own skin. I also liked the scene were it appeared that Kane may shoot Olsen - watch as Olsen does not plead for his life.

The movie was also fast paced which i appreciated and although some more character development and background details could have been added The Kane Files delivers as a thriller

Kane Files is Still the Same Old Story **1/2

[edwagreen · 6/10 · 29 May 2012]

How many times have we seen the theme that an ex-convict is drawn back into crime when his child needs an operation? This theme has virtually become hackneyed.

When his young son needs a heart transplant, the guy goes to the underworld and is soon betrayed by them. We see a crooked police officer at the forefront and our hero is bloodied throughout the film by the gang and others on the police force.

As the FBI man, William Devane paints a conflicted picture. At one part, you actually are led to believe that he is part of the widespread corruption.

The ending is an absolute enigma. Why couldn't the guy be exonerated? Why must he be on the lam while his son thrives on the swings with his mother?

A good watch even if you can notice it's a b-movie

[nlafrenierebaa · 7/10 · 8 July 2023]

I really have loved to see Drew Fuller ever since Charmed, so I decided to watch this movie because of him.

You can see it's a low-budget movie. There sometimes is some less than stellar acting but the plot is good, though over-used. The non-linear plot was interesting and the layers in the plot made it really intriguing.

For the first-time ever, while watching a movie, I notices HOW the camera point of views sometimes bothered me. I don't know why but the choices made me really realized how this is a b-movie.

It was really interesting seeing Drew in a "villain" role.. I can see how he won an award...good for him!

Overall, a good watch, interesting plot..just would have needed some polishing I think but worth your time.

Nice criminology

[siddharthkrishnadwivedi · 13 October 2011]

The Best Actor award won by this movie made me watch it.

An ex-criminal who now lives a normal life suddenly has to do what he did best - crime. This movie shows how a man changes for his family again and again. Also it portrays that no one is your own if you get in their way of crime. One is exploited when he's helpless but at times those people fool you too, as there motive gets solved you are forgotten. And so the only option left is REVENGE

I won't say it's the best attempt at crime but will not disappoint you. Drew Fuller has really performed very well and Whitney Able has a good role to her credit. William Devane's role is very twisted and good to watch.

Action OK but too much plot nonsense

[alanclarke-78565 · 1/10 · 28 November 2017]

Action is OK but unless you don't mind the FBI 'hero' brutally assaulting a victim of the underworld, for some daft effort to put some crook away, and a good deal of plot nonsense, then I'd give it a miss. We have a policeman trying kill his sister because of what her hijacker told her and much other nonsense.

It is better to left this files archived...

[gabriel_sanchez · 2/10 · 31 May 2021]

Film titles that imply intricate, complex plots easily catch my attention. With a title like The Kane Files: Life of Trial (2010), I expected some The Bourne Identity (2002) vibes.

Because of his sick son, our protagonist Scott Kane needs to go back to a life he tried to bury. He accepts to complete one task for criminal kingpin Daniel in exchange for cash to pay for his son's treatments.

I have to admit I have nothing great to talk about in this film. It starts interesting, trying to build the main characters, but I think it just falls flat once the actual plot begins.

The Kane Files: Life of Trial tries a non-linear approach to the plot, which doesn't look appealing. Other than maybe one or two close to interesting plot twists, everything you experience a new segment to learn something new, you actually learn nothing, because you can predict the film's plot quite accurately.

No character is explored in a good way. They are all shallow and lifeless. I didn't care about any of them.

For someone who apparently is the best at what he used to do, he seems rusted. Either he was really desperate and not thinking straight, or he was not the best, just dismissable. I don't mind the main character is running from the bad guys, but when he can't even defuse a situation with three women while he's armed, well, I don't know...

Forget about files. You get none here.

In the end, I appreciate the short 86 minutes of screen time. The ending scene got me what I expected, no surprises. The film tries to add more to it, but nah, dismissable. Skip this one.

An indictment of America's health care system

[ScottNichols · 9/10 · 25 March 2015]

The plot was superb, and the directing inspired. The actors were splendid. I can see why Drew Fuller won Best Actor. I especially enjoyed the performances by Ethan Embry, William Devane, and the young one, Ethan Mouser. I hadn't seen him in other flicks. He should do well. Kid actors amaze me anyway. I don't know how they get them to perform in front of the cameras, director, crew, lights, and other actors.

Even the cinematography was excellent. This is a great thriller and should have had a wider audience.

Oh, about my summary line/title. This movie made me angry. It made me angry because there's so much dark truth in it about America's health care system. Indeed, I think the premise of this movie is an indictment of our health care system, a system that would allow a 6-year-old boy to die because his family can't pay for his treatment. Out health care system is nothing but a g.d. business. No money...no TV. No money...no car. No money...no medical treatment. Scott Kane would not have had to resort to such drastic measures if we took care of our own in this country.

But, then we wouldn't have had this movie, either.

A man gets played after turning to crime to raise money for his sick son.

[zenseeds · 11 September 2011]

The good:

1. Very good opening scene, followed by a good second scene that doesn't follow from the first, but fills in some missing earlier information. Then the third scene actual begins telling the story. This revealing through layers works well for the film and sets things going at a good pace with action and intrigue.

2. There is some good acting in this movie. Ethan Embry's performance as a cop is excellent. William Devane playing an older, smart and crafty FBI agent, other than a couple bad lines, was also very good. My favorite was the small role by the young son played by Ethan Mouser.

The bad:

1. There is some not so good acting in this movie. In general the film lacks emotional development by the key actors, and has some really flat lines.

The main character, played by Drew Fuller, seems always and unrealistically somber (even when he is making love in the shower with his very attractive wife, played by Whitney Able.) Note that not everyone will agree of my assessment: Fuller was awarded 'Best Actor' at the San Diego Film Festival for this role.

I also didn't like the role of the villain played by William Devane, I thought it was an underdeveloped character that lacked credibility. The initial setup for the character had potential that seems to have been given up on. Even the setting where we encounter the villain changed from potentially interesting to a place totally uninteresting and incongruent.

2. The plot was predictable despite it's creative telling. Certain key connections in the movie are left hanging. And the end was not fulfilling.

The title of the movie 'The Kane Files: Life of Trial' - doesn't really make sense. It could make sense, if at the end we were lead to believe that the story continues, and like the overlapping beginning- that the story we have just watched is only a past part of an existing story that is still going on now, and one that might be revealed in a future 'episode'.

3. This movie shares the basic plot premise to the 2002 film 'John Q', starring Denzel Washington, in which parents are are similarly confronted with an inability to pay for their child who needs a heart transplant. In 'John Q', the desperate situation leads the father to also commit a crime. In that movie the father of the sick boy holds the doctor and others at the hospitable hostage. Side by side, 'Johny Q' verses 'The Kane Files'- 'Johny Q' comes out as a better all around film.

Bottom line: Decent watchable action movie.

I think a better, and or more experienced director would have gotten a lot more from the script.

Action filled "John Q" type movie thats almost as good. A must see movie for fathers. Makes you root for the bad guy I say A-

[cosmo_tiger · 8/10 · 11 April 2012]

"You got a choice to make. You can finish this job and go to jail and your kid will get the best care any kid could have, or you cannot finish this job, you still go to jail and your kid will die. What are you gonna do?" Scott Kane (Fuller) is a reformed criminal who is trying to live his life straight for once. After his seven year old son has a heart attack and Kane has no way to pay for the transplant on his own he decides to do one last job. After being double crossed he risks everything to save his son. Based on the preview I honestly expected this to be OK but a type of made for TV movie. While it did have the feel of a glorified made for TV movie this was very, very good. I loved "John Q" and I would call this one a more intense action version of that movie. Unlike most low-budget action movies this one really sucks you in and makes you root for the "bad guy". Being a father I can see where Kane is coming from and found myself really pulling for him throughout. Overall, not quite as good as "John Q." but this came as close as you can. I give it an A-.

A Father who will do Anything to save his son and protect his wife. It's Scott Kane vs. The World o

[christopherperryhalliwell · 9/10 · 15 June 2015]

Good storyline. I decided to check this out as Drew Fuller (Scott Kane) won best actor so it couldn't be too bad. The first scene is actually time wise at the end of the movie and the third scene is the actual beginning. Flashbacks and jumps in the time line as well as half scenes completed later brings mystery into it as well as miss guidance, leaving you wondering. Scott is a character one can feel for, being a father just trying to save his son, no matter what the cost. Speaking of costs the mixed loyalties and alliances also leave you wondering who's helping who?, plus Scott doesn't have it easy. Drew does an amazing job of displaying emotions in his eyes and vocal intensity and you can't tell he's faking the pain his character is in. He seems caring and is reluctant to kill again until his wife is in danger as well as his son. All around great movie besides a bit of language here and there and a few brief, nothing shown steamy scenes, as well as violence.

Best movies

[neprasali · 10/10 · 8 August 2020]

I try hard to download this movie but I dont find it, how i can find it.