Liam Neeson's latest crime thriller, directed by Norwegian filmmaker Hans Petter Moland (Kjærlighetens, kjøtere, Gymnaslærer Pedersen, En ganske snill mann), is imbued with a deep melancholy and sense of humanity. There have been many films about thug life in Boston, but the story of Thug (Neeson) holds its own among the better ones. The main reason is that he is a fully fleshed-out character who is brought to life by Neeson's seasoned performance. And although his world is populated with overly familiar small-time mobsters and let-down women, Moland takes his time to tell their stories with conviction and care.