The pairing of John Hawkes and Logan Lerman as father and son was always going to be an interesting one. Unfortunately, it’s a shame that End of Sentence doesn’t do more with that duo. While both are somewhat playing against type, the film surrounding them is so slight and so slack with its storytelling that it’s hard to appreciate them. A mix of narrative stumbling blocks and lack of notable dramatic conflict make it far too easy to see every turn of the road here. There are some very nice moments, but they don’t add up to make a flick that I can recommend today. The movie is a drama about a father and son attempting (at least on one end) to reconnect while on a road trip in Ireland. Frank Fogle (Hawkes) has always has a tough relationship with his troublemaking son Sean (Lerman). A genial and even withdrawn man, he haven’t spoken in years to his son, partly due to the latter’s incarceration. When Frank’s wife and Sean’s mother Anna (Andrea Irvine) passes away from cancer, her dying wish involves bringing the two back together. Once releases from prison, Sean wants to head to California for a job, but Frank convinces him to fly to Ireland with him to scatter Anna’s ashes in a specific spot. After that, they never have to speak again. Of course, it’s not that simple, especially once Jewel (Sarah Bolger), a troubled girl Sean meets in a bar, ends up tagging along. Elfar Adalsteins directs a screenplay by Michael Armbruster, with cinematography from Karl Oskarsson. Supporting players include David Grant Wright, Sean Mahon, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, and more. John Hawkes and Logan Lerman get to do something different here, and that’s worth taking note of. The film doesn’t nearly make the best use of them possible, but seeing them stretch their acting muscles a bit is certainly a small pleasure. Hawkes is usually so intense and coiled, seeing him essay such a passive individual is undoubtedly interesting. Likewise, seeing Lerman playing a more aggressive character holds your attention for a while. Sadly, it’s not long in that you realize that the production doesn’t fully know what to do with them. The cliched and easily predictable story never overcomes this issue. The two don’t have much chemistry together and end up just making for an awkward pair. End of Sentence just never manages to […]