Review by John Delia
Actually very good, the movie Clover takes you on a wild ride as two brothers and a young lady try to get themselves free from the mob. It’s very well made, has some excellent twists and it’s not only a thriller, but a bit comical as well. Once the action starts, it never ends until the last twisted scene. Now available on VOD.
Caught up in a debt to Tony, a mob boss, Jackie finds himself in too deep to be able to repay him. Tony tells him that he will forgive most of the debt if he goes with his son Joey to take care of some “money collecting†from a guy named Gary. Jackie agrees but wants to take his brother Mickey along for some added muscle and with that the three head out to pick up the cash. Joey finds out that Barry doesn’t have the payment and he tells Jackie to kill him. Not the killer type, he tries to talk Joey out of the hit and things don’t go too well with Joey getting killed by a young girl presumed to by Barry’s daughter Clover.
But that’s only the beginning as Tony had sent a back-up team to do the clean-up and with Tony’s son dead, the brothers and Clover go on the run. The complicated mess gets deeper and deeper until the trio finds there’s no way out. Director Jon Abrahams takes screenwriter Michael Testone wild script and turns it into a fun caper with some very sticky and sickly situations that make for a cool home view.
The cast is very good in their roles and make the film work. I especially like the performance by Nicole Elizabeth Berger as the young teen Clover that finds herself unwittingly on the run from the mob. Initially not experienced in such wicked ways, as the movie presses on she becomes a feisty gal to reckon with. Just 13 when she made the film, she reminds me a lot of Chloe Grace Moretz and her role in Kick Ass, if that’s any help in describing Clover’s change from sweet to street smart.
Now, all that said I’m sure as a fan of crime thrillers that you may feel a bit of deja vue, especially if you have seen the many flicks that have similar plots. But, this one has a different feel to it with its surprise ending and all around good performances by the whole cast. You may even recommend it to many of your friends, better still, invite them over for a guy’s night in the man cave.
Clover has not been rated by the MPAA, but contains violence, and language throughout. The violence gets a bit brutal and the language vulgar, but certainly not more than most of today’s crime films. And, if you figure out the ending early on, please let me know as I was nicely surprised. Now available on – Cable platforms: Altice, Cox, Comcast, Spectrum, Verizon Fios. Satellite platforms: DirecTV, Dish Network/SlingTV. Digital platforms: Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, Xbox, YouTube Movies, Sony Playstation, FandangoNow, and Google Play.
FINAL ANALYSIS: This roller-coaster ride of thrills is worth the watch. (3.5 out of 5 Stars)
Additional Film Information:
Cast:  Jon Abrahams, Mark Webber, Nicole Elizabeth Berger, Chazz Palminteri, Ron Perlman, Erika Christensen, Julia Jones, Jessica Szohr, Michael Godere, Jake Webber
Directed by: Jon Abrahams
Written by: Michael Testone
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Thriller
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 1 hr. 41 min.
Opening Date: April 3, 2020
Distributed by: Freestyle Digital Media
Released in: VOD, check your streaming links and cable for availability