Movie Reivew: El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie **** / *****

Directed by: Vince Gilligan.

Written by: Vince Gilligan based on the show created by Gilligan.

Starring: Aaron Paul (Jesse Pinkman), Jesse Plemons (Todd), Robert Forster (Ed), Matt Jones (Badger), Charles Baker (Skinny Pete), Jonathan Banks (Mike), Larry Hankin (Old Joe), Tom Bower (Lou), Tess Harper (Mrs. Pinkman), Michael Bofshever (Mr. Pinkman), Scott MacArthur (Neil), Scott Shepherd (Casey), Marla Gibbs (Jean), Brendan Sexton III (Kyle), Matthew Van Wettering (Colin), Chris Bylsma (Sean), David Mattey (Clarence), Cody Renee Cameron (Candy), Alison Law (Wanda), Gabriela Alicia Ortega (April), Kevin Rankin (Kenny), Bryan Cranston (Walt), Krysten Ritter (Jane).

 

To be clear – no, we really didn’t need a Breaking Bad movie sequel to tell us what happened with Aaron Paul’s Jesse Pinkman after he basically told his former friend and mentor Walt White to go fuck himself and drove away, leaving him to die. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie for Netflix basically gives us the ending for Jesse I think we all envisioned and hoped for with this character – and at the same time went back in time to fill in some blanks. By necessity, the last season of Breaking Bad was so focused on Walt and his family – that Jesse, who was held hostage in a makeshift cell for most of it – was kind of left behind a little. This movie fills in those blanks, and then extends Jesse into the future – where maybe he’ll be able to find some peace. No, we didn’t need this film. Yes, I’m still glad it exists. It may not be quite the extension of Breaking Bad that Better Call Saul has become (which to me, I think, has surpassed the original – although I know I’m in the minority there) – but it’s not a stain on its legacy either.

 

The film pretty much picks up right where Breaking Bad left off – Jesse driving away from the massacre, as the cops close in to find Walt’s body. And it answers the question of just how Jesse would be able to flee New Mexico – where he was a wanted associate of this massive criminal enterprise – and get somewhere away. The film is basically about Jesse running – both literally and figuratively, as the major theme here is about Jesse trying to escape from the trauma that he has experienced. Breaking Bad was always a show in which the consequences were real – and no one comes away clean. You cannot escape your past, or make up for the things you have done. But, with Jesse anyway, perhaps he can live a different life now.

 

What El Camino shows is just how much Jesse learned from Walt over the course of the series – the sweet but dim guy we meet in Season 1 would never have been able to do what Jesse does here. He uses his smarts, his wits, to get himself out of one jam after another in the film. Everyone is looking for him, and yet, he even finds way to make turn that into an advantage at some points.

 

Let’s be honest and say that the film is not a standalone film – it won’t work as a movie unto itself, but needs that knowledge of the show. It needs it so you understand who these various characters who show up in the film are in the first place –and why you should care about them. The bigger names from Breaking Bad mainly get small cameos – although Badger and Skinny Pete (Matt Jones and Charles Baker) get an extended one, that is actually surprisingly emotional. The Breaking Bad character who gets the most time is Jesse Plemons’ Todd – a reminder of what a chilling and cheerful sociopath he was, and a great performance here as well, retroactively making his end in the finale even more satisfying. I watched the film the day after Robert Forster died – and it was wonderful to see him once again show off his casually great acting. He was only in one episode of Breaking Bad – but he has an extended role here, and he is wonderful in it.

 

The movie will basically scratch that Breaking Bad itch for those tired of watching the episodes over and over again on Netflix – and restless with the extended break Better Call Saul is still in right now (come back soon please!). And it is wonderful. Was it necessary? Perhaps not – but I loved it just the same.