Engaged portrayals make ‘Term Life’ viewable

VAUGHN AND STEINFELD. Portray con man and his daughter.

IS HAILEE Steinfeld planning to craft an acting career focused on making movies acting “against” senior male stars? That appears to be the case: She first made her mark as an adolescent actress playing a tomboy in the remake of

“True Grit,” a western that had her feudin’ and fightin’ with Jeff Bridges.

Then, this film season, she’s doing pretty much the same thing as a teen star, topbilling the action-drama, “Term Life,” with Vince Vaughn playing her long-absent dad. He wants to finally make amends—but, she makes it really hard for him to do so!

The small dramatic actioner initially strikes viewers as not all that promising—but that feckless first impression is happily proven wrong by the two leads’ “engaged” portrayals.

Vaughn plays a con man who “sets up” big heists for a fee. He’s good at what he does
—but, one terrible day, the heist he’s lined up turns out to involve some unexpected foes (is that vague enough?) who don’t stop until they have figured out his heretofore secret involvement.

They then proceed to hound not just him but also his teen daughter, and he has to “kidnap” her to keep her safe, much against her will.

Thespic chops

It’s an eventfully feisty role for any upcoming actress to show off her thespic chops, and Steinfeld takes full advantage of the opportunity to hit an acting home run.

Wearing her heart and many resentments on her sleeve, she gives her dad a really rough time before she “allows” him to help and save her.

But, the film is an even bigger thespic triumph for Vaughn, who is given the tough acting challenge of playing a criminal—but making him sympathetic enough to elicit viewers’ sympathy and empathy.

The big twist in the storytelling comes when Steinfeld’s character finally lets her guard down and savors the relief and joy of finally having a dad. Both stars do well during this critical and conclusive plot segment
—and viewers are glad that they’re in such competent thespic hands!