It reveals itself to be a profoundly cynical movie posing as a work of idealism, and it's all the more insidious because it's otherwise so bland and forgettable.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
The Hollywood Reporter by David Rooney
Directed with contained intensity and sharp character observation by Matthew Saville, the brooding thriller covers familiar territory but does so with sustained tension and psychological complexity.
New York Daily News by Joe Neumaier
Strong acting all ’round helps, but unfortunately this is just a slow ride to nowhere.
Los Angeles Times by Kenneth Turan
Working from a screenplay by Edgerton, rising Australian director Matthew Saville has expertly constructed a low-key, realistic drama in which the malleability of morality in an increasingly murky situation takes center stage.
The Playlist by Kevin Jagernauth
Felony isn't a federal case of a bad film, but it's certainly a serious misdemeanor, one whose crime is running away from the challenge the story sets up, to settle on something cheap and conventional.
The A.V. Club by Mike D'Angelo
Unfortunately, Edgerton the writer creates a situation so thorny that he can’t find a way out of it.
Thanks to Saville’s tightly controlled direction and a superlative cast, the mere exchange of glances builds as much suspense as the kinetic action sequence that opens the pic.
Edgerton may write himself out of the problem too easily, but at least the problem itself is fascinating to consider.
The three lead actors are limited by their characters' kiddy-pool-shallow behavior.
Washington Post by Stephanie Merry
The three actors excel in their roles, and director Matthew Saville gives additional insight into the men through small yet informative details.