This review contains Breaking Bad spoilers.
Netflix
For many, Breaking Bad is considered to be among the greatest television shows of all time. The series allowed Bryan Cranston to step out of his Malcolm-shaped-shadow, while also catapulting Aaron Paul into international stardom, and generating countless Emmy wins. Indeed, Walter White captured the cultural zeitgeist in a way that only residents of Winterfell have successfully recreated in the years since. Fans have been able to temporarily satisfy their craving for underhanded Albuquerque dealings, with the the criminally underrated Better Call Saul (yes, that was intentional). However, it was the return of the eternal-underdog that is Jesse Pinkman that really got audiences excited.
Vince Gilligan returns to write and direct this final piece of Jesse’s story, as we discover what became of him after his enslavement as a meth cook in Breaking Bad‘s last season. The story picks up exactly where the finale left off after his heart-wrenching escape, with Paul effortlessly slipping back into the role. A large portion of the film is told through flashback sequences, which effectively add emotional and narrative context to its events. Viewers without full knowledge of the series will quickly find themselves lost in a sea of inside references and returning faces. This is the closest Gilligan and co. have come to fan-service, but it’s always been clear that El Camino isn’t intended as an entry point to the franchise. The only drawback is that, in some cases more than others, the age difference of the actors is painfully noticeable. While not a huge problem, it can be slightly distracting in some instances. Something that has to make many wonder if this film should have been made a few years earlier.
The fan-pleasing return of many old favourites from this universe is delicately spread throughout the two hour run time, with the big guns appropriately saved until the end. But, this truly is Paul’s film (and rightly so). The astonishing actor spent many of his Breaking Bad years in the awards circuit, and clearly hasn’t forgotten what made his character so endearing. As a fugitive from the law, Jesse spends most of this story in predictably intense situations, and strong emotional turmoil. Naturally, this allows us to see him in a raw, stripped down manner that was only glimpsed on occasion in a show that had to jungle a multitude of other characters.
That said, there is still just about enough breathing room left for some of the supporting cast. The highly publicised return of Charles Baker’s lovable loser ‘Skinny Pete‘ was a high point of excitement for audiences. Somewhat surprisingly, Baker delivers one of the most heartfelt moments of the entire film, in a scene that fully cements the friendship between these lost souls. For two unfortunate products of a society that has failed them, with little connective tissue between patchy mental stability, and healthy emotional expression, ‘you’re my hero and shit’ is the most meaningful line of the film.
In a sad turn of events, this also contains the final on-screen performance of the late Robert Forster as Ed ‘the disappearer’. Forster played a pivotal role in the final season of the Breaking Bad, and returns once again as a crucial element of this story. This functions as a fitting send-off for the legendary actor, with a nuanced and dedicated portrayal of this key character.
El Camino may not reach some of the narrative and dramatic highs that preceded it. But, it successfully functions as a beautiful epilogue to round off Jesse Pinkman’s story in a meaningful and deserved manner. Some may not agree that all of the crowd-pleasing cameo appearances here are completely necessary. Few though, will argue that a return to the gritty underworld of the neo-western phenomenon, was more than worth putting the questions surrounding Jesse’s uncertain fate to an end.
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is now streaming on Netflix.
