At Close Range (1986)

Directed by James Foley, At Close Range stars Sean Penn as Brad Whitewood Jr., a restless young man drawn into the rural criminal gang led by his estranged father, played by Christopher Walken. As Brad and his brother Tommy become involved in theft and violence, their father’s determination to protect himself and his organisation places the entire family in danger. Based on the crimes of the Johnston gang in Pennsylvania, the film combines true crime, small-town suspense and a destructive father–son relationship, with Mary Stuart Masterson, Chris Penn and Kiefer Sutherland in supporting roles.

Arrow Video

Inspired by real life events that occurred in 1970s Philadelphia, James Foley's intense At Close Range is a criminally underseen crime drama with riveting lead performances by Sean Penn (Mystic River) and Christopher Walken (True Romance).

Brad Whitewood Jr. (Penn) reconnects with his estranged father, Brad Sr. (Walken), a notorious and charismatic criminal. Fascinated by his father's lifestyle, Brad Jr. forms a gang with his brother Tommy and begins stealing tractors. Their criminal activities quickly draw them deeper into Brad Sr.'s world, but their illicit pursuits take a grim turn when the gang cross the point of no return into murder. Now in too deep, Brad Jr. must now confront the chilling truth about his father's nefarious actions.

With a stacked supporting cast including Kiefer Sutherland (Flatliners), Crispin Glover (River's Edge) and Mary Stuart Masterson (Daniel Isn't Real), and a haunting soundtrack by frequent Madonna collaborator Patrick Leonard which includes the original song "Live to Tell" performed by Madonna, At Close Range is an atmospheric thriller ripe for rediscovery.

Från IMDB:
Reunited with his career criminal father, tough teen Brad thinks he's found his ticket to an exciting life of crime, only to find out he's wrong.