Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- gritty
- tense
- stylish
- crime thriller night
- heist movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film gritty, stylish, and smart enough to deliver genre thrills, while judging the overall result mixed or average.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
JR's prison protection arrangement with Brendan Lynch develops into forced participation in a prison break and gold heist.
JR moves from confinement and survival inside prison into organized crime beyond its walls.
The planned gold robbery promises millions and drives the crew's escalating conflict.
The film presents prison life, robberies, chases, and Australian locations with a stylish but hard-edged thriller aesthetic.
Films like Son of a Gun, and why
Animal Kingdom
shared prison-crime setting, criminal mentorship, gritty action, and morally unstable alliances
The Rover
shared australian crime milieu, volatile criminal crews, betrayal, and bleak thriller tension
Escape Plan
shared prison escape, criminal apprenticeship, and escalating cat-and-mouse suspense
Point Break
shared heist planning, criminal betrayal, propulsive action, and stylish genre thrills
Movie Details
- Director
- Julius Avery
- Release Date
- 2014-10-16
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (888)
Cast
- Ewan McGregor
- Brenton Thwaites
- Alicia Vikander
- Jacek Koman
- Matt Nable
- Tom Budge
- Nash Edgerton
- Damon Herriman
- Eddie Baroo
- Marko Jovanović
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Son of a Gun about?
- A young prisoner enters an Australian criminal crew through a dangerous mentorship, only to find loyalty tested by a high-stakes gold heist.
- What is Son of a Gun like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Son of a Gun as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Son of a Gun violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Son of a Gun as brutal.
- What did critics think of Son of a Gun?
- Critics broadly found the film gritty, stylish, and smart enough to deliver genre thrills, while judging the overall result mixed or average.
- Which films are like Son of a Gun?
- Films with a similar feel include Animal Kingdom, The Rover, Escape Plan, and Point Break.
- How long is Son of a Gun?
- Son of a Gun runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch Son of a Gun?
- In United States, Son of a Gun is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling.
