Ticket Out

It's not the worst movie I've ever seen. The whole concept of an "Underground Railroad" for abused women and children who the Laws of the Land have let down is unfortunately a believable and actual thing. This movie is a poor example of how that railroad works in comparison to others that I've seen. It does inform the audience that such a thing does exisit and that are real people who help the abused everyday at at huge personal sacrifice/risk. The one thing in this movie that wracked my nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard is the little girl Mary Sue. I don't know the child actor's name but I hope I never see another movie with her in it.

Predictable? What movie did you watch? There are a few plot twists and I could not guess the ending. You're left hanging? Did you watch the entire film? There's a very definitive conclusion! I've seen similar subject matter previously and this is the best of the lot!

An American mother (Alexandra Breckenridge) takes her young son & daughter and flees her abusive ex, who has visitation rights (Billy Burke). As she travels from east to west in January, she is helped by a mysterious man involved in some kind of escape network (Liotta).

"Ticket Out" (2012) is an entertaining inter-state chase flick with top-of-the-line locations and quality winter ambiance, not to mention a couple of unexpected (but welcome) shoot-outs. Alexandra is a winsome protagonist and Burke makes for a quality villain while Ray's character is charismatic, but enigmatic.

The flick explores the complexities of parental rights and what's good for the children, as well as the moral conflict between doing what your profession or the legal system demands and what you know is right in your heart.

Despite its release date, the film was shot from December 14, 2008, to March 14, 2009.

It runs 1 hour, 30 minutes, and was shot in Iowa (Des Moines, Newton, Indianola, Prairie City and Adel); Badlands, South Dakota; Caribou-Targhee National Forest and Grand Tetons, Wyoming.

GRADE: B.

I have seen SO many thousands of 'B' movies it would make your head swim. This a fine little gem with a minimum of nonsense and although not perfect, it never, ever makes you wish you didn't watch it. It's a B+ with heart and some soul that many of us wish more movies had. I have seen 'A' list movies far worse than this. Many in fact! Ray is great. The tension is workable. Maybe needs to be 15-20 minutes longer to work out some emotional questions and produce proper 'closure'. I give it 5.5 for execution with a 6.7 for overall intent and budget. I would watch it again for the 'Feel-Good' aspect and good acting alone. And, as much I am not a fan of 'Feel-Good' movies, this is worth a watch above most other crap of its ilk. Truly!~

Some actors are just past their prime. The ingredients are their... just not developed properly. A rewrite could do wonders. The child girl actor was great... very rarely does a child actor get me to dislike them so much.