Good heavens. Well, this is a rarity; it’s a Liam Neeson film made by adults for the purpose of responsible entertainment. You can tell by the terrible moustache. Liam here isn’t suppressing an imaginary bomb threat or re-claiming another kidnap victim or fighting the IRA by himself.
OK, he actually does try and reclaim a kidnap victim here … but in a much more realistic manner. I mean, his first attempt is a complete failure.
Liam Neeson is a Thug. That’s his title and name. How often do you really need to know the name of an enforcer, anyway? Only enough to know that Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes, no? Thug is a mob enforcer and former boxer. The latter has saddled him with CTE, of which he’s just starting to feel the effects – there are things he cannot remember. Sometimes unimportant things, sometimes his home address. At 70, he needs to retire, but the mob doesn’t exactly have a Roth IRA plan, knowwhatI’msayin’?
On his last round, Thug reports to his boss (Ron Perlman) that boss’ son isn’t much of a gangster yet. Buck up, champ, I’m sure you’ll be ordering hits and shakin’ people down properly one day! Thug doesn’t want to let on that his memory is fading, but when the boss sees you can’t remember his name, well, gosh, that’s embarrassing.
Discovering he has CTE, it’s incurable, and he has only a short time before he’s unable to tend for himself, Thug visits his estranged daughter (Frankie Shaw). She 
doesn’t want a relationship with him. Geez, who does? How about her son? Does the boy want a relationship with gramps?
Somewhere in there, Thug also realizes his life has been awful in many, many ways. He’s not a church-going man and has little means, so how does he get Absolution before he’s unable to take care of himself? And what does he do about Yolanda Ross, the new woman in his life?
Absolution is the most mature film Liam Neeson has made in years, and possibly for his entire career. I’m so used to Neeson playing the unstoppable force I’d almost forgotten he can act. I’m so used to Neeson playing a Thug on the “good” side of the moral spectrum that it seems refreshing to see otherwise. His vulnerabilities enhance this feeling. Imdb isn’t sold on this film, but I think it’s among his best, sadly. I hope he can appreciate that before his mind goes.
There was once an old mob enforcer
Who lived on the bad side of “coarser”
His end cometh nigh
So before saying, “good-bye”
He sought to make Good his soul endorser
Rated R, 112 Minutes
Director: Hans Petter Moland
Writer: Tony Gayton
Genre: Mature emotions only!
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: People waiting to see what it would be like for Liam Neeson to play an adult
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: People who just like Neeson, Killing Machine
