The Cleaner (2021 film)

Last updated
The Cleaner
Directed byErin Elders
Written by
  • Erin Elders
  • King Orba
Produced by
  • John W. Bosher
  • Chris Charles
  • Faust Checho
  • Kate Grady
Starring
CinematographyJeff Tomcho
Edited byMatthew Prekop
Music byBrad Oberhofer
Production
companies
  • Throughline Films
  • September Club
Distributed by 1091 Pictures
Release date
  • October 12, 2021 (2021-10-12)
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Cleaner is a 2021 American crime drama film directed by Erin Elders (in his feature directorial debut), who co-wrote the screenplay with King Orba. It stars Orba in the title role, with Shelley Long, Eden Brolin, Shiloh Fernandez, Luke Wilson, and Lynda Carter in supporting roles. It follows a middle-aged house cleaner who gets caught up in a violent crime after being hired to locate a client's estranged son.

Contents

Cast

Release

On August 12, 2021, it was announced that 1091 Pictures acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film. [1] It was released on digital and on demand on October 12, 2021. [2] [3]

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 83% of 6 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10. [4]

Brian Costello of Common Sense Media gave the film 4 stars out of 5 and stated, "The Cleaner reveals once again that solid acting, relatable characters, and a good story can do so much more on a limited budget than a blockbuster movie with a weak story and cliched characters." [5] Roger Moore of Movie Nation gave it 2.5 stars out of 4 and wrote, "It's not a polished jewel, but even in the rough The Cleaner shines, more proof that you don't need to limit yourself to horror to get your first film made." [6] Dennis Schwartz gave the film a grade of B−, calling it "a knucklehead indie noir that's not too good but avoids being bad." [7]

On the other hand, Carla Hay of Culture Mix gave The Cleaner a negative review, describing it as "a ridiculous mess of a story with terrible dialogue, lousy acting and uneven pacing." Hay also noted that "the ending is so cliché" and "it's not enough to cover up all the loose ends and unnecessary scenes that make the movie an insufferable, tangled mess." [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Charlies Angels: Full Throttle</i> 2003 American film by McG

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle is a 2003 American action comedy film directed by McG and written by John August, and Cormac and Marianne Wibberley. It is the sequel to 2000's Charlie's Angels and the second installment in the Charlie's Angels film series, which is a continuation of the story that began with the television series of the same name by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lynda Carter</span> American actress, singer, and beauty pageant titleholder (born 1951)

Lynda Jean Cordova Carter is an American actress, singer and beauty pageant titleholder best known as the star of the live-action television series Wonder Woman, in the role of Diana Prince / Wonder Woman, based on the DC comic book fictional superhero character of the same name. As a pageant contestant, Carter was crowned Miss World USA 1972 and finished in the top 15 at the Miss World 1972 pageant. She achieved fame playing Wonder Woman in a series that aired on ABC and later on CBS from 1975 to 1979.

<i>The Dukes of Hazzard</i> (film) 2005 American film

The Dukes of Hazzard is a 2005 American action comedy film loosely based on the television series of the same name. The film was directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and stars Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, Jessica Simpson in her feature film debut, Burt Reynolds, Joe Don Baker, Lynda Carter, and Willie Nelson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Brolin</span> American actor (born 1968)

Josh James Brolin is an American actor. A son of actor James Brolin, he gained fame in his youth for his role in the adventure film The Goonies (1985). After years of decline, Brolin had a resurgence with his starring role in the crime film No Country for Old Men (2007). Brolin received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for portraying Dan White in the biopic Milk (2008).

<i>Gothic</i> (film) 1986 British film

Gothic is a 1986 British psychological horror film directed by Ken Russell, starring Gabriel Byrne as Lord Byron, Julian Sands as Percy Bysshe Shelley, Natasha Richardson as Mary Shelley, Myriam Cyr as Claire Clairmont and Timothy Spall as Dr. John William Polidori. It features a soundtrack by Thomas Dolby, and marks Richardson's and Cyr's film debut.

<i>Mary Shelleys Frankenstein</i> (film) 1994 film directed by Kenneth Branagh

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a 1994 science fiction horror film directed by Kenneth Branagh who also stars as Victor Frankenstein, with Robert De Niro portraying Frankenstein's monster, and co-stars Tom Hulce, Helena Bonham Carter, Ian Holm, John Cleese, Richard Briers and Aidan Quinn. Considered the most faithful film adaptation of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, despite several differences and additions in plot from the novel, the film follows a medical student named Victor Frankenstein who creates new life in the form of a monster composed of various corpses' body parts.

<i>The Car</i> (1977 film) 1977 film by Elliot Silverstein

The Car is a 1977 American supernatural horror film directed by Elliot Silverstein and written by Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack and Lane Slate. The film stars James Brolin, Kathleen Lloyd, John Marley and Ronny Cox, along with real-life sisters Kim and Kyle Richards. It tells the story of a black unmanned self-driving mysterious car that goes on a murderous rampage, terrorizing the residents of a small town.

<i>I Died a Thousand Times</i> 1955 film by Stuart Heisler

I Died a Thousand Times is a 1955 American CinemaScope Warnercolor film noir directed by Stuart Heisler. The drama features Jack Palance as paroled bank robber Roy Earle, with Shelley Winters, Lee Marvin, Earl Holliman, Perry Lopez, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, and Lon Chaney Jr.

<i>The Boston Strangler</i> (film) 1968 film by Richard Fleischer

The Boston Strangler is a 1968 American biographical crime drama film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Tony Curtis, Henry Fonda, George Kennedy, Mike Kellin, Murray Hamilton, Sally Kellerman and William Hickey. It is loosely based on the true story of the Boston Strangler and the 1966 book of the same name by Gerold Frank.

<i>Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye</i> (film) 1950 film by Gordon Douglas

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye is a 1950 film noir starring James Cagney, directed by Gordon Douglas, produced by William Cagney and based on the novel by Horace McCoy. The film was banned in Ohio as "a sordid, sadistic presentation of brutality and an extreme presentation of crime with explicit steps in commission."

<i>Gangster Squad</i> (film) 2013 film by Ruben Fleischer

Gangster Squad is a 2013 American action thriller film directed by Ruben Fleischer and written by Will Beall, based on a non-fiction book by Paul Lieberman. The film stars Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Nick Nolte, Emma Stone, Anthony Mackie, Giovanni Ribisi, Robert Patrick, Michael Peña and Sean Penn. Set in 1949, a group of real-life LAPD officers and detectives called the Gangster Squad are assigned to bring down crime kingpin Mickey Cohen.

<i>City Across the River</i> 1949 film by Maxwell Shane

City Across the River is a 1949 American film noir crime film directed by Maxwell Shane and starring Peter Fernandez, Stephen McNally, Thelma Ritter, Sue England, Barbara Whiting, Luis Van Rooten and Jeff Corey. The screenplay is based on the novel The Amboy Dukes by Irving Shulman.

Strange Bargain is a 1949 American crime mystery starring Martha Scott and Jeffrey Lynn. It is directed by Will Price. Harry Morgan appears in support.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lewis Pullman</span> American actor

Lewis James Pullman is an American actor. A son of actor Bill Pullman, he made his film debut opposite his father in the western action film The Ballad of Lefty Brown (2017). His subsequent film credits include The Strangers: Prey at Night, Bad Times at the El Royale, Them That Follow (2019), Top Gun: Maverick (2022), The Starling Girl (2023), and Skincare (2024).

A fixer is someone who carries out assignments for or is skillful at solving problems for others. The term has different meanings in different contexts. In British usage, the term is neutral, meaning "the sort of person who solves problems and gets things done". In journalism, a fixer is a local person who expedites the work of a correspondent working in a foreign country. Use in American English implies that methods used to conceal their clients' identities or potential scandals are almost certainly of questionable morality, if not legality. A fixer who disposes of bodies or "cleans up" physical evidence of crime is often more specifically called a cleaner. In sports, the term describes someone who makes arrangements to manipulate or pre-arrange the outcome of a sporting contest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1091 Pictures</span> American film studio

1091 Pictures was an American production company based in New York City and Los Angeles. The company was founded as the film and television division subsidiary of The Orchard in 2015. The company is best known for the Oscar-nominated films Life, Animated and Cartel Land. Sony divested the company and its catalogue of over 4,000 in 2019, with the company adopting the name 1091 Media. In 2020, the company rebranded as 1091 Pictures and announced that its parent company rebranded as Streamwise, the name of its new technology platform in development.

<i>12 Mighty Orphans</i> 2021 American film

12 Mighty Orphans is a 2021 American sports film which was directed by Ty Roberts from a screenplay by Roberts, Lane Garrison and Kevin Meyer. It is based upon the non-fiction book Twelve Mighty Orphans: The Inspiring True Story of the Mighty Mites Who Ruled Texas Football by Jim Dent. The book is based on the Masonic School for Orphans in Fort Worth, Texas.

Eden Brolin is an American actress, best known for her role as Charlie Singer in the Beyond television series and as Mia in Yellowstone. She is the daughter of actor Josh Brolin and Alice Adair.

<i>Reagan</i> (2024 film) 2024 film by Sean McNamara

Reagan is a 2024 American biographical drama film directed by Sean McNamara and written by Howard Klausner, based on Paul Kengor's 2006 book The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism. The film stars Dennis Quaid as President Ronald Reagan alongside Penelope Ann Miller and Jon Voight, with Robert Davi and Lesley-Anne Down in supporting roles.

<i>Gasoline Alley</i> (2022 film) 2022 American film by Edward John Drake

Gasoline Alley is a 2022 American action thriller film directed by Edward John Drake, starring Devon Sawa, Bruce Willis and Luke Wilson. It was released in the United States on February 25, 2022 by Saban Films.

References

  1. Vlessing, Etan (August 12, 2021). "1091 Pictures Acquires Erin Elders' Crime Drama 'The Cleaner' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on July 4, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  2. Lane, Carly (September 14, 2021). "Exclusive: 'The Cleaner' Trailer Reveals a Gripping Crime Drama Starring King Orba, Luke Wilson, and Lynda Carter". Collider . Archived from the original on July 4, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  3. Sanders, Hosea; Jordan, Marsha (October 23, 2021). "Chicago filmmaker behind 'The Cleaner,' starring Lynda Carter, Luke Wilson, Shelley Long". ABC7 Chicago . Archived from the original on July 4, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  4. "The Cleaner". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media. Archived from the original on July 4, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  5. Costello, Brian (October 12, 2021). "The Cleaner Movie Review". Common Sense Media . Archived from the original on July 4, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  6. Moore, Roger (October 13, 2021). "Movie Review: A missing son, a kid gone wrong and "The Cleaner" is sent to find him". Movie Nation. Archived from the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  7. Schwartz, Dennis (October 21, 2021). "CLEANER, THE". Dennis Schwartz Reviews. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  8. Hay, Carla (December 30, 2021). "Review: 'The Cleaner' (2021)". Culture Mix. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2023.