Ticket Out (2012)

I really enjoyed this film. The cast was great. Billy Burke played Dennis, the abusive, angry father very well. Alexandra Breckenridge (Jocelyn) was also great. She embodied a desperate, grief-stricken, battered wife who knew she had to do anything to protect her children. Last, but not least, while Ray Liota's acting was great, his character was a little confusing. As I understand, he was a bounty hunter who was hired by a governmental agency to capture fugitives. From what I understand he pretended to look out for Jocelyn and her children, even to the point of potentially becoming a love interest for her, but eventually betraying her and bringing her back to Dennis. I don't understand why, when he had the chance, he didn't surrender her to Dennis.I was also disappointed with the ending, as viewers were left hanging and with many questions.I gave the film 8 stars because I would watch it again but was left wondering a lot.

The mother of the children in this movie is supposed to be portrayed as sympathetic, but, she commits numerous felony crimes and is 10 times worse than the supposed "bad guy" father. The mother endangers her children's lives on numerous occasions with actual gun fights. A caring mother would have turned the children over to the police for their protection. She escapes from police custody and commits numerous armed robberies in the vicinity of her children. Her actions should easily warrant 20 years in prison. When her child needs insulin, she decides to commit armed robbery on innocent people at a pharmacy, instead of rushing her child to the hospital. I was sickened watching this and was only thankful it was not based on anything real.

This starts of feeling like a Lifetime type abused wife fleeing husband movie but it turns out better than expected and is quite exciting. The cast is above average too. The very pretty Alexandra Breckenridge (the young girl in the French Maid costume from American Horror Story Season 1) plays the abused wife. She acts well. Billy Burke (Charlie Swan from Twilight) plays the abusive husband well. Ray Liotta plays someone helping the wife and kids flee through the underground network.There is an interesting twist and it is watchable from beginning to end. It's not an Enough type thing. More realistic actually. Worth a watch.

I have seen SO many thousands of 'B' movies it would make your head swim. This a fine little gem with a minimum of nonsense and although not perfect, it never, ever makes you wish you didn't watch it. It's a B+ with heart and some soul that many of us wish more movies had. I have seen 'A' list movies far worse than this. Many in fact! Ray is great. The tension is workable. Maybe needs to be 15-20 minutes longer to work out some emotional questions and produce proper 'closure'. I give it 5.5 for execution with a 6.7 for overall intent and budget. I would watch it again for the 'Feel-Good' aspect and good acting alone. And, as much I am not a fan of 'Feel-Good' movies, this is worth a watch above most other crap of its ilk. Truly!~