Cert 18
102 mins
BBFC advice: Contains brief strong sexual image
Two questions arose while watching At Any Price.
Firstly, why has it taken two years since release in the United States for it to hit screens in the UK and secondly, why is in an 18-certificate.
The former is easier to explain than the latter.
For the first hour and a quarter, the quality of Ramin Bahrani's film is of the same level as a made-for-TV movie, despite having a cast boasting Zac Efron, Dennis Quad and Heather Graham.
Only in its final 30 minutes does it come to life and by then most audiences would be past caring.
Therefore, it has only found its way to a couple of cinemas at the same time as being made available on demand (I watched it on itunes).
Meanwhile, I can only put its 18-certificate down to a blink-and-you'll miss-it image being read in a porn magazine.
At Any Price surrounds the ultra-competitive world of farming in America where expansionists swallow up the little guys without conscience.
Early in the film, farm owner Henry Whipple (Quaid) tries to do a land deal with the family of a dead man at the latter's funeral.
This reflects the cut-throat nature of the seed business in which Whipple and his family are embroiled.
He will stop at nothing to keep his company attractive to his sons (Efron and Patrick W. Stevens) but neither have any interest in it.
In fact, Efron's character wants to race cars, encouraged by his girlfriend (Maika Monroe).
Sadly, the roles in At Any Price are cliched with traditional Henry always at odds with his tearaway son.
That is until a surprise incident which completely changes the complex of what until then is a mundane movie.
The final 30 minutes have a significant spark but the question is whether they are worth trudging through what goes before them. I am not so sure.
Star tweet
Executive producer Mohammed Al Turki
Enroute to our after party with @maikamonroe , #KimDickens , Dixie and Elena
Reasons to watch the movie: the last half hour which is genuinely unsettling
Reasons to avoid: Is akin to a made-for-TV movie for the previous hour or so.
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: blink-or-you-miss-them images from a porn mag
Overall rating: 5/10