Contraband
When his brother-in-law runs afoul of a drug lord, family man Chris Farraday turns to a skill he abandoned long ago—smuggling—to repay the debt. But the job goes wrong, and Farraday finds himself wanted by cops, crooks and killers alike.
What critics thought
Critics landed squarely in mixed territory on this one — most agreed the 'one last job' premise felt shopworn and the plot overloaded, while a small minority found it functional enough genre entertainment for a January release. The central debate was whether Wahlberg's reliable screen presence and the film's propulsive pacing could compensate for its formulaic bones, and for most reviewers, they couldn't.
“it's much more like a cynical hash job, whose faux-realistic manner can't hide all the hackneyed crime-movie situations”
Andrew O'Hehir·Salon
“fails by overreaching: It aspires to the heightened drama of The Departed but lands instead in the bargain bin of forgettable action product”
Rafer Guzman·Newsday
“reasonably swift and effective”
Justin Chang·Variety
“while often grungy and far-fetched, does keep you watching”
Owen Gleiberman·Entertainment Weekly
“too much plot and too little character”
Tom Long·The Detroit News
Parents guide
- Violence
- moderate
- Sex
- none
- Profanity
- severe
- Substances
- moderate
- Intensity
- mild
Genres
Thriller, Action, Drama, Crime
Cast & Crew
Baltasar KormákurDirector
Mark WahlbergChris Farraday
Kate BeckinsaleKate Farraday
Ben FosterSebastian Abney
Giovanni RibisiTim Briggs
Lukas HaasDanny Raymer
Caleb Landry JonesAndy
Diego LunaGonzalo
J.K. SimmonsCaptain Camp
David O'HaraJim Church
William LuckingBud Farraday
Ólafur Darri ÓlafssonOlaf
Robert WahlbergJohn Bryce
Clinton ShorterComposer
Aaron GuzikowskiWriter
Barry AckroydCinematographyContraband
When his brother-in-law runs afoul of a drug lord, family man Chris Farraday turns to a skill he abandoned long ago—smuggling—to repay the debt. But the job goes wrong, and Farraday finds himself wanted by cops, crooks and killers alike.
What critics thought
Critics landed squarely in mixed territory on this one — most agreed the 'one last job' premise felt shopworn and the plot overloaded, while a small minority found it functional enough genre entertainment for a January release. The central debate was whether Wahlberg's reliable screen presence and the film's propulsive pacing could compensate for its formulaic bones, and for most reviewers, they couldn't.
“it's much more like a cynical hash job, whose faux-realistic manner can't hide all the hackneyed crime-movie situations”
Andrew O'Hehir·Salon
“fails by overreaching: It aspires to the heightened drama of The Departed but lands instead in the bargain bin of forgettable action product”
Rafer Guzman·Newsday
“reasonably swift and effective”
Justin Chang·Variety
“while often grungy and far-fetched, does keep you watching”
Owen Gleiberman·Entertainment Weekly
“too much plot and too little character”
Tom Long·The Detroit News
Parents guide
- Violence
- moderate
- Sex
- none
- Profanity
- severe
- Substances
- moderate
- Intensity
- mild
Genres
Thriller, Action, Drama, Crime
Cast & Crew
Baltasar KormákurDirectorMark WahlbergChris FarradayKate BeckinsaleKate FarradayBen FosterSebastian AbneyGiovanni RibisiTim BriggsLukas HaasDanny RaymerCaleb Landry JonesAndyDiego LunaGonzaloJ.K. SimmonsCaptain CampDavid O'HaraJim ChurchWilliam LuckingBud FarradayÓlafur Darri ÓlafssonOlafRobert WahlbergJohn BryceClinton ShorterComposerAaron GuzikowskiWriterBarry AckroydCinematography