Emile Hirsch gives a tour de force performance in this tale of a lowly court stenographer who goes vigilante. 

Walden Dean has followed in his father’s footsteps and has a career as a court stenographer. In addition to his job, he also is in a competition with local stenographers to see who can reign on top in terms of typing. He has earned the respect and fatherly love of Judge Boyle. However, Walden’s world is about to be turned upside down as he finds himself diagnosed with a terminal illness. The discovery leads to Walden questioning so much, most importantly why certain people can get out of punishment.

After learning a man was acquitted after being accused of killing his young daughter and putting her in the oven, Walden finds the perpetrator and exacts his own brand of revenge. He does the same to a home health aide accused of negligence of her own patient, who had died as a result. When detectives Bill Kane and Sally Hunt are assigned the case, the last thing they may learn is that a lowly court stenographer is doing all this but for what reason. Justice? Revenge? Or could it serve as Walden’s last will and testament?

Mick Davis has come up with a very intriguing film about a court stenographer who becomes a vigilante when he ends up having a terminal illness. This leads to repressed feelings of seeing guilty naysayers getting acquitted for their crimes. What is interesting is that sometimes, we have lawyers serve as vigilantes, such as the case with Above the Law with Yuen Biao and Out for Blood with Don “The Dragon” Wilson. The protagonist being a stenographer brings something fresh to the table and works well here, especially with the performance with Emile Hirsch in the titular role. 

Bringing a combination of nerdy with a taste of Southern charm, Hirsch is excellent in the role of Walden. He comes off as very shy and quiet but at the same time determined. It is once he begins his quest for justice that he starts to slowly gain confidence. It gets to where he even has a love interest in Southern belle Emily, played by a terrific Kelli Garner. As for the detectives, Shane West and Tania Raymonde are great. West brings a no-nonsense style to the role while Raymonde does questions things and even tends to harbor some feelings for her partner. 

The first two scenes involving revenge or justice if you will, will definitely satisfy the viewer as these two are truly deserving of what’s coming to them. There is even a nice little homage to Stephen King’s Misery on the part of the second victim. However, as the film progresses it seems like Walden finds himself possibly getting a little ahead of himself and the third act reveals what could happen if one goes too far. 

Walden is a great film thanks to an amazing performance by Emile Hirsch. It’s clear that he is having fun with the role, whether he’s sitting at a diner with the judge or exacting justice on those who deserve it. One of his best roles yet.

WFG RATING: A

Uncork’d Entertainment presents a Benacus Entertainment production in association with RNF Productions. Director: Mick Davis. Producers: Seth Michaels and Sara Sometti Michaels. Writer: Mick Davis. Cinematography: Viorel Sergovici. Editing: Joel Cox.

Cast: Emile Hirsch, Shane West, Kelli Garner, Tania Raymonde, David Keith, Steve Coulter, Seth Michaels, Sunny Mabrey, Luke Davis, Sara Sometti Michaels, Kathrine Barnes.

The film will be released in select theaters on November 10, then on VOD and Digital on December 12.