A Bag of Hammers - A Movie Review

This happened for a reason.

"A Bag of Hammers" is a 2011 film. Trickster friends, Alan and Ben, who make their living by gambling and swindling find themselves in their first grownup situation. They take in an abandoned child and create a family.

I always enjoy the beginning of the New Year. Not only are you beginning a new chapter, but for me, it’s a new movie-watching period. “A Bag of Hammers” is the first movie I started with on January 1. It’s a heartwarming film about redemption, growing up, and chosen family. However, the ending felt like too much of a fantasy.

Jason Ritter and Jake Sandvig star as two misfit best friends, Alan and Ben, who love to stir up trouble. Still, the boys means well. That is a pivotal characteristic. Ritter and Sandvig said the dynamic was not hard to create at all. Both actors are great, but Ritter has a magnificent scene where he delivers bad news.

For his age, Chandler Canterbury was excellent as Kelsey. He has not been in a movie since 2014. Canterbury portrays the character’s loneliness and vulnerability with subtlety. Kelsey goes through tough hardships. This character is so important to the boy’s friendship, and I feel the story concluded on it too fast.

The film also includes one of my favorite actresses. Rebecca Hall is an underrated actress, and has a strong approach to all her characters. She plays Melanie, Alan’s sister. In a similar argument that I have with the film, Hall’s character felt unfinished.

The supporting cast includes Carrie Preston, Todd Louso, Gabriel Macht, and Amanda Seyfried in an early career role. I always like finding actors who were in their beginning stages. You never know what movies started it all for them.

This is a film about growing up. As Brian Crano’s feature debut, A Bag of Hammers is directed well. The indie film was made on a modest budget, which made them focus on storytelling. Crano’s direction captures both the humor and sadness of people who are stuck between adolescence and adulthood.

Crano and Sandvig co-wrote A Bag of Hammers, another first for the pair. The story was inspired by real-life. Sandvig said he has experienced a similiar living situation and was inspired by documentaries about scam artists.

To keep it in line as a coming-of-age story, Crano selected nostalgic music. Here’s a fun fact. All the songs were written by actor Johnny Flynn. He is another underrated actor who always has understated performances.

The film was shot in Burbank, California. The setting plays an important part in the film’s coming-of-age themes. The Los Angeles setting feels lived-in and authentic, avoiding the stereotypical Hollywood themes. Though the ending is too good to be true.

I didn’t like the ending. After all the life lessons the boys learn, they win their victory too easily. It was too good to be true territory. Certain plot elements are forgotten or have no stakes, like Melanie ratting out her brother.

You never know what life is going to hand you, or in this case a bag of hammers. Growing up in your 20s and 30s is hard because we’re still learning as we go. Life never goes how you expect it to. What matters is how you deal with the conflict,

Fair warning, the film portrays more darker elements than I thought, like suicide. It took a much deeper emotional dive than I expected. "A Bag of Hammers" is filled with heart, comedy, and learning about chosen family. Find it streaming on Prime.