It sure seems like Björn Franklin and Johnny Marchetta spent an inordinate amount of time studying Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler. Their drama Salvable follows a similarly hopeless path, yet arguably manages to be even more grim than Aronofsky’s award-winning film. Hardly a ray of sunlight penetrates the film’s bleak, monochrome palette. The protagonist sinks deeper and deeper into a “no way out” situation, and the world is harsh and unforgiving. If that sounds like your cup of tea, delve right in, as from a technical perspective, the film is handsomely made and soundly structured.
In this case, the lead – Sal, played by Toby Kebbell – is a down-on-his-luck boxer. He’s divorced, steadily losing custody of his daughter, with whom he struggles to reconnect (“You’re a f*****g stranger to me,” the angst-ridden teen snaps). He lives in a trailer in the middle of a field. When he’s not serving as a “punching bag” at the local gym, he works at a retirement home, where the elderly keep dying. “Down-on-his-luck” is a gross understatement, really.
Soon, Sal’s old pal Vince (Shia LaBeouf) comes back into his life, having served a long time in prison. Vince is trouble incarnate and, despite their former bond, Sal wearily attempts to keep his distance from the unhinged instigator. Before you can say, “I saw it coming”, Sal is pulled back into the grimy world of street fighting – and worse. The finale, while intense, piles on the drama a bit too much, as if almost forcing the characters to atone for their sins.
Toby Kebbell as “Sal” in the action crime thriller Salvable, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.
“…Sal is a down-on-his-luck boxer…”
Franklin and Maschetta know how to stage a powerful sequence. It’s perhaps most evident during the film’s emotional peak, wherein Sal forfeits during a street fight, refusing to finish off his bloodied opponent, and consequently losing a lot of money. The coastal British small-town setting is beautifully captured by cinematographer Simon Plunket, and David Keenan’s score is suitably moody. That being said, the constant bludgeoning of despair grows tiresome; the filmmaking duo could work on their subtlety.
The leads save the film for opposing reasons. Toby Kebbell turns in a deeply nuanced, restrained performance, never relying on theatrics, keeping his pain internalized yet letting glimpses of it show in his eyes and his gestures. LaBeouf, the controversial, borderline-maniacal scene-stealer that he is, doesn’t rein it back, showing off a not-quite-flawless accent, a slew of mannerisms and tics, and a haircut for the ages. Somehow, the two of them work. Major kudos, just for that.
Salvable fully embraces its bleakness, its title almost mocking; there’s no salvation here. If it had a bit more originality or verve, it could potentially have pulled it off. It’s a decent drama that pales in the shadow of its obvious inspiration.
"…fully embraces its bleakness, its title almost mocking..."
