One Mile: Chapter One
The brief
Ryan Phillippe brings surprising emotional weight to what could have been a generic dad-on-the-run thriller, anchoring the father-daughter dynamic even when the cult plotline gets predictably bonkers. The college tour setup gives it a road movie feel before morphing into something closer to a lean 80s action flick, complete with C. Thomas Howell chewing scenery as you'd expect. It moves fast enough that you don't have time to question the logic, and Amélie Hoeferle holds her own against Phillippe's wounded ex-con routine. Perfect for anyone who misses mid-budget action movies that actually care about character relationships between the car chases.
The verdict
If you miss the days when mid-budget action movies prioritized father-daughter relationships alongside car chases and don't mind cult plotlines that go completely off the rails, this is a lean throwback thriller worth your time. If you need your action movies to make logical sense or can't tolerate C. Thomas Howell hamming it up in full scenery-chewing mode, skip this one for something more grounded.
Watch with
- 👥 Perfect for action movie night with friends
- 👨👩👧👦 Good father-daughter viewing despite violence
- ⚠️ Skip if you need pure family-friendly content
Heads up
- Cult violence and pursuit sequences (moderate)
- Strong language throughout (frequent)
- Child in peril situations (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Adam Davidson
- Cast
- Ryan Phillippe, Amélie Hoeferle, C. Thomas Howell, Sara Canning, Anthony Timpano, Sage Linder, Andre Tricoteux
Official synopsis
After being released from prison, a father tries to reconnect with his daughter by taking her on a tour of
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with You Were Never Really Here (2017)
Both feature violent father figures seeking redemption through protecting someone vulnerable.
Total runtime: 1h 26m + 1h 29m = 2h 55m
