Blackmail on a Friday
After the man she worked with died from a heart attack Rachel McKenzie (Amy Carlson) is made Vice President at the bank where she works in charge of bank security. What she or no one else knows is that the man she worked with died when he was being robbed Cash (Thomas Ian Griffith - Vampires) who demanded that he give him access to a safety deposit box and who is working with Glen (Judd Nelson - Three Wise Guys) a dirty cop. When Rachel returns from a business trip she learns that her daughter has been kidnapped and the message she receives gives her till the close of business the next day to grant them access to the security deposit box.
Before I watched "Black Friday" two names stuck out, they were Judd Nelson and Thomas Ian Griffith the only two actors in the movie whose names I recognized. Unfortunately having watched them both in more recent made for TV movies did little too lift my expectations of this movie as I didn't expect it to be much. And whilst it is nice to be right sadly "Black Friday" isn't that good, just a routine modern TV movie with a crime story and some cliches but nothing in the way of atmosphere.
The trouble with "Black Friday" is that it is derivative as the whole kidnapped child storyline to blackmail their parent has been done before and with greater success. That alongside the fact that this is a made for TV movie instantly and sadly makes it unimaginative and predictable as we watch Rachel set about trying to save her daughter whilst of course the clock ticks down. The details of how she goes about this are not only quite boring but are also convoluted extended beyond the realms of realism the minute that Rachel takes it upon herself to start investigating the safety deposit box which she is asked to access. And despite attempts to create atmosphere with scenes in the dark and music which races along it never generates the exciting atmosphere intended.
Now I have already mentioned that "Black Friday" has the recognizable names of Judd Nelson and Thomas Ian Griffith but to be honest these are neither good performances nor good characters. Then again Amy Carlson who plays Rachel is just as poorly serviced by a cliche and frankly uninteresting character.
What this all boils down to is that "Black Friday" whilst not terrible is poor and is the sort of movie that you start to watch and then find yourself doing other things whilst it is on as it never once manages to get you gripped by the drama.
