Rated R for violence and terror.
Starring Alice Eve, Josh Peck and Brian Geraghty
Directed by David Brooks
This movie was about 30 minutes too long…and it was only 90 minutes.
After leaving their company Christmas Party together, David Hargrove and Emily Brandt’s impromptu first date takes an unexpected turn when their coworker, Corey, asks them to make a late-night stop at an ATM. What should be a routine transaction turns into a desperate struggle for survival when an unknown man appears outside the vestibule. With the wintry temperatures dipping below freezing, and the morning sunrise still hours away, they have no choice but to play the man’s deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
ATM is another gimmicky, low-budget thriller from Chris Sparling, the writer who did the Ryan Reynolds flick, Buried. This one takes place mostly inside a…you guessed it…ATM. Although it has a cool premise (that’s why I picked it up at Redbox), there’s not much about the movie that makes sense. Like why do they park so far away from the ATM? How can these three very fit young adults not out run that guy? And seriously, all three of them don’t have an iPhone…NO WAY!
Sure there are a few thrills, but everything else is so far-fetched that the thrills really fall apart. I say bury this one or use it as a “Coaster.”
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There were no sex or nudity scenes but there were violent and scary/disturbing scenes. There was one F-word, one sexual reference, and plenty of other mild obscenities.
Conversation Starter
This is one of those films that is void of a “good guy.” The three people trapped in the ATM are not noble or brave or loyal. So lead into conversation by asking…
- How would you feel if you were friends with Emily, Corey or David?
- What positive traits do they possess?
- What negative traits do they possess?
- Read Philippians 4:8,
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
While this verse is talking about things, imagine if we used those words to help us select better friends.
- What can you do this week to evaluate your friends?
