The G

Dale Dickey stuns as no-nonsense grandmother Ann (aka The G) in writer-director Karl R Hearne’s The G. A foul-mouthed and heavy-drinking pensioner, Ann is the opposite of the sweet old lady stereotype that’s commonly associated with most grandparents. However, after she loses her home, money and loved ones after being targeted by a criminal who preys on the elderly, she begins to plot her revenge. Meanwhile, her devoted granddaughter Emma (Romaine Denis) also starts to devise a scheme to help her. Their actions put both women in the path of unsavoury individuals, with danger soon following.

Although this is a fictional story, Hearne shines a revealing light on issues surrounding elder abuse in his movie. In Ann’s case, she’s victimised by a fraudster (Bruce Ramsay) who manipulates the courts into becoming her legal guardian to take control of all her assets. Worse, there’s nothing she can do legally to stop it, and cutting her off from her family only makes her more isolated. It’s a meaningful topic that’s rarely seen in cinema (I Care A Lot being a notable exception), but aside from a few scenes explaining the situation, the script doesn’t lean far enough into the meat of its themes to make the most out of its premise.

Rather, the main highlight is Dickey’s extraordinary performance. The actor steals every scene she’s in with her commanding presence. While her gruff and deliberate way of speaking make her an intimidating presence that’s not to be trifled with, Dickey also brings heaps of tenderness to the role. There are moments where her performance is nothing short of heartbreaking, showing Ann to be much more than a two-dimensional action hero.

While there is a good chunk of gritty and cold-blooded violence to be found here, it takes a substantial amount of time for the plot to get there. After a tragic event at the end of the first act, a large part of the proceeding runtime feels like the script is trying to find the right foothold to move the action forward. Even when the pacing is hit the hardest, it’s Dickey’s phenomenal turn as Ann that keeps viewers fully engaged.

Although it suffers from some pacing hiccups, The G is a unique subversion of the revenge thriller that’s driven by an arresting leading performance.

Andrew Murray

The G does not have a UK release date yet.

Read more reviews from our Glasgow Film Festival 2024 coverage here.

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