Delivered (2011)

People are voting emotionally.

Best movie ever!

A Masterpiece!

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Where do I start? First, the beginning act has the most in your face character exposition I think I have ever seen in any film. 2 minutes to show his war experience. 2 minutes to show his trouble returning to civilian life. 2 minutes to show his anger issues. 2 minutes to set up the so-called plot. Horribly edited and choppy. Moving into the action it is all so predictable. And why does this come off as something from the 70s? Cheesy dialogue, even cheesier background music, clichéd cinematography, lame acting. I think it's in the 3rd act now and I'm gonna bail, I can't take any more of this tripe. (as I write this, the background music just switched to a twang twang twang twang plucking of oriental music, LMAO!)

This is one of those films that rises to the occasion when you want an action-packed, tense piece of escapism – well paced and with a story-line that engages from start to end. One thing I was surprised with was that it was from an independent film-maker. When watching it I thought I was watching a film with far more resources that those that an independent film-making typically has to rely on. This high production value presence was fitting with the other markers that I would tend to use when judging whether a film is worth watching I was not surprised to see some of the other grudging reviews with low ratings as just about every film on IMDb attracts a bunch of these. I actually wonder if trolls read the description of a film before choosing it since they obviously did not seem much good at choosing what to watch (if they really watch it) or whether hating everything in the universe is their fun little hobby. I suspect both!

DELIVERED delivers the goods sum it all up. This gem is a real heartfelt Indie crime thriller that did not let the modest budget get in the way of a great story. You can tell this movie was well planned and perfectly executed. Michael Madison flawless direction takes you from one scene of the tightly written screenplay by Brandon Manbeck seamlessly to the next scene pulling crisp and dead on performances by an amazing cast. There were some scenes that made you think twice but they were well planted for a purpose to be revealed later.I found this movie to be as enjoyable as many of my favorite films growing up and I have no problem recommending it to anyone.Shane (Michael Madison) is a wounded veteran comes home to find his parent's home has been foreclosed and his widowed mother (Alana Stewart) close to being evicted. Modest and unassuming with the endearing charm of a lost puppy Shane learns and grows quickly. Starts off wearing his father's hand me downs for job interviews and you can see and feel this character growing and gaining confidence as the story progresses. Promising to get his mother's home back he reluctantly takes a job as an armed courier for a shady private delivery service. Everything is going great until one delivery does not go as planned and there are some dire consequences. We understand Shane's coolness as he does not go to pieces when thing go awry but one can't help feeling that under that calm exterior is a Jack Nicholson or Joe Pesci ready to explode any minute.Shane's mother portrayed by Alana Stewart was reminiscent of Melissa Leo's Oscar winning role in THE FIGHTER. This tough, determined, and proud widow will not let the misfortunes life threw at her keep her down. She did her best to keep her son from knowing what she was going through. She went to work as a janitor keeping her head high by wearing her uniform with dignity and her make-up impeccable. Jeanette Steiner is charming and surprisingly multi-dimensional as Cindy the woman in peril. Toshi Toda's deliciously over the top performance as the gangster Katsuro was phenomenal as well as Tadamori Yagi as his coke head son.Chic Daniels, Kenny Lombino, Brian McGuire, Yoshi Ando, Jesse Weinberg, Koji Wada round out the first-rate supporting cast.Cinematographer Ricky Fosheim did a terrific capturing the spirit through excellent images, Production Designer Jennifer Nelson along with Wardrobe and Make-up by Tiffany Anguiano and Nancy Fregoso kept it real. I generally find movies where the leading actor is also the director as sappy, egotistical, and self-indulgent with the "Look at me, I am a big star now" kind of thing. Michael Madison would have none of that here. His laser like focus on the characters and story was clear from the beginning.So many elements of DELIVERED reminded me of the fun drive-in movies of American International Pictures and Hammer Films with a little Robert Mitchum in YAKUZA (sans giri), Peter Falk in the 1962 THE PRICE OF THE TOMATOES, and Jim Brown in the SPLIT thrown in for good measure. While it would be easy to reference DRIVE, VANISHING POINT, or TRUE ROMANCE, even TO LIVE ND DIE IN LA, I think that the feel is closer to the 1955 THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS with John Ireland.Here you have a well-crafted true to the bone Indie with an excellent story.Linda Nelson and Michael Madison team made a small budget independent film with a heart of a lion.Might be hard to find but it is well worth the search.

Delivered is a film worth watching. The cast of seasoned actors shines with remarkable performances. The storyline is filled with responsible topics such as war, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, love, revenge, injustice, and economic difficulties including foreclosure. Many people can relate to the various occurrences in the film. It is action-packed, gritty, intense, and entertaining all while sending a powerful message to viewers. The storyline is anything but predictable. It will leave you thinking about what you might do if faced with similar circumstances. The locations throughout the film are amazing. This film is a great model for independent filmmaking. Kudos to Linda Nelson and Michael Madison!