‘All Souls’ Review – Intense And Tightly Written Thriller Allows Mikey Madison To Shine

Mikey Madison has been making her presence known with roles in Scream and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Now, thanks to Anora, she is an Oscar winner and a household name. But before the notoriety, she starred in All Souls, a crisp and compelling thriller by Lionsgate. While it offers familiar story beats of the genre, Madison is captivating, and the tightness of the script allows her to shine and elevate the film beyond its simple premise.

All Souls tells the story of River (Madison), a single mother to Jade (Mia Love Disnard), who finds herself in the deep end with sharks. When the police nab her, she becomes a reluctant informant. Her task is to go undercover and expose a powerful drug lord with whom she has a connection. The stakes are high when her daughter becomes entwined in the operation, pushing River to her limit. 

The script is tight, and the runtime is an hour and twenty minutes, but in that compressed time, the film packs a lot of thrills. Yet, the tension is nothing without the beautiful story about a mother and daughter. The dynamic between River and Jade is earnest and becomes the film’s emotional lynchpin. Even when the dialogue is sparse, Mikey crafts a gripping persona. She is a mother willing to do whatever it takes to protect her daughter. 

The film also features a commendable performance by G-Eazy as the druglord Silas. His character is relatively conventional for this story, though he does share a history with River. This personal element comes into play as the story unfolds. G-Eazy imbues Silas with a stealthy, sinister quality, while a familiar character-type works within the parameters of the world created here.

The film has an inherent grittiness that never feels contrived or melodramatic. All Souls is grounded in a world that feels lived; thus, we are on the edge of our seats, white-knuckling the armrest as River infiltrates a drug lord’s lair. This film may have gone under the radar, but it is worth a watch and deserves more recognition on a large scale rather than in a streaming venue. The small budget is never a detractor, as the director can utilize the on-location elements to the film’s advantage. Despite working with less, an intensity arrests the audience from the first frame. 

Watching the story unfold injects a jaded sense of deliberate confusion and unease. We are traveling alongside River, watching her become a mere pawn to the police, watching her struggle to maintain her undercover status, and applauding when she makes her mark. A call and response between mother and daughter is “Stay dangerous”. This is more than an inside joke; it is a battle-cry.  

Director Emmanuelle Pickett crafts a thriller in her debut that delivers on expected beats. There are car chases, gunfire, and blood-chilling tension. But what is also going on is the story within the story. The emotional beats are River’s efforts to save her daughter, but there is a layered commentary on how young criminals become reluctant accomplices to the police in the war on drugs. Going to back to the line, “Stay dangerous” this energy courses throughout the entire film. 

This aspect of the script allows Mikey to burnish her acting chops. She is a survivor, belittled by the system and thrown to the wolves, yet she is never a victim. The performance’s quiet strength builds towards a magnetic crescendo, where Mikey holds court, showing she is a cinematic dynamite. Even in a smaller-scale thriller, she is unforgettable, and it is easy to understand why she is an Oscar winner. 

All Souls offers a compact and familiar thriller, but one with an inherent realness that injects the audience into this gritty reality. Of course, the main takeaway is Mikey Madison’s soulful and commanding performance. The film is many things, but its story about a mother and daughter’s bond makes it a true gem and a film not to be missed. 

All Souls is currently available on Digital platforms.