JCVD

All right, filmgoers were not exactly crying out for this untitled drama, but now that it is out there, congratulations are in order. An aging superstar who is a reluctant hero and the well-done human drama ensures that this film makes the cut and it does so, effortlessly.
Even if you are not a Jean Claude Van Damme fan and hated the eighties’ troop of violent ‘cult’ films, in his role as a former star, Van Damme does not fail to impress you with his acting talents.
The goal of this movie was to create a new star of the man, pin the tail on a culture obsessed with celebrity at the right place and also make a thrilling action drama. There is very little you’d find critical in a movie like this one.
So, there is a bank hold up and Van Damme just happens to be there for some work…but that’s where the plot is different from other Van Damme flicks. He has not been pumping iron in his back yard before he got there, for instance. He was—please hold your breath—in fact, fighting a legal battle for custody of his daughter, which he lost. At its final point, his daughter even gets up on the stands and declares that people laugh at her whenever her daddy shows up on the television screen.
A divorced, broke, depressed Van Damme must save the day and the movie. He is able to do this because director, Mabrouk El Mechri drives up the persona of the star beyond how we have known or seen him on the big or small screen ever. The film is a revelation of sorts and a must-watch for fans and non-fans alike with its sensitive portrayal of an aging star and the role he must still fulfil.