Review: End of Sentence

The road to reconciliation with a family member could be a long and bumpy one. And being confined in a car with that person could help or hurt a situation. End of Sentence may start with an ending, but it brings a hopeful and new beginning.

Attempting to fulfill his late wife’s wish, Frank Fogle (John Hawkes) takes his estranged ex-con son Sean (Logan Lerman) on an Ireland road-trip to spread her ashes. Along the way, Frank begins to learn that he may not have known everything about his wife. And Sean goes down a path to forgiveness. 

At a wake for his late wife, Frank sees a picture that takes him down a rabbit hole of new information. While he’s trying to get to the bottom of it, Sean is impatiently waiting for this trip to end. 

I didn’t know much about this movie before hitting play. When it started, I thought it was going to be another dragged out drama, but I was surprised by how much heart was in it. From the beginning, you are aware of the disconnect between Frank and Sean.

While in prison for auto-theft, Sean would only allow his mother to visit him. After his release, he’s desperate to find work and put his past behind him. Frank is grieving and just wants to keep his promise to his wife. After a sad attempt at leaving Frank in the dust, Sean agrees to go on this journey for his mother. 

The beginning is slow, but the curiosity surrounding Sean’s hatred for his father is intriguing. Frank seems like such a sweet and caring guy, so you start to wonder what went wrong. The story picks up when Sean meets Jewel (Sarah Bolger) in a bar, and she joins them on their trip. You begin to wonder what her intentions are as she starts to create an even bigger rift between the two. And as tensions flare on the road, Sean reveals what ruptured their relationship.

This is an emotional story with multiple bends in the road. While slow at times, the plot keeps you invested. You begin to hope this father and son can fix their relationship. And while you may find some things predictable, it doesn’t make it any less fulfilling to watch it play out.  If you love real-life dramas with a heartfelt story, this is one you’ll want to see.