The Reel Rejects - LAW ABIDING CITIZEN (2009) MOVIE REVIEW!!

Episode Date: October 7, 2025

JUSTICE AT ANY COST!! Law Abiding Citizen Full Reaction Watch Along:   / thereelrejects   Start your online business with a $1 per-month trial when you visit https://www.shopify.com/rejects! Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Apparel! https://www.rejectnationshop.com/ Roxy & Coy TEAM UP in the name of Justice as they give their Law Abiding Citizen Reaction, Recap, Commentary, Breakdown, & Spoiler Review! Coy Jandreau & Roxy Striar dive into the tense 2009 action thriller Law Abiding Citizen, directed by F. Gary Gray (The Italian Job, Straight Outta Compton). The film stars Gerard Butler (300, Olympus Has Fallen) as Clyde Shelton, a man seeking brutal justice after his wife and daughter are murdered, and Jamie Foxx (Ray, Collateral) as Nick Rice, an ambitious Philadelphia prosecutor who struck a plea deal with the killers. What begins as a quest for vengeance quickly escalates into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse as Shelton orchestrates a series of calculated, shocking attacks on the justice system itself. The cast also features Colm Meaney (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Layer Cake) as Detective Dunnigan, Bruce McGill (Animal House, Collateral) as District Attorney Jonas Cantrell, Viola Davis (Fences, The Woman King) as Mayor April Henry, Regina Hall (Scary Movie, Girls Trip) as Kelly Rice, and Leslie Bibb (Iron Man, Talladega Nights) as Sarah Lowell. Some of the most infamous and highly searched moments include the gruesome retribution scene with one of the killers, Shelton’s shocking ability to commit crimes while incarcerated, the explosive citywide attacks, and the chilling finale that pits Rice against Shelton’s master plan. A mix of moral dilemma, intense action, and psychological thrills, Law Abiding Citizen remains one of the most talked-about thrillers of the late 2000s. Follow Coy Jandreau:  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coyjandreau?l... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coyjandreau/?hl=en Twitter:  https://twitter.com/CoyJandreau YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwYH2szDTuU9ImFZ9gBRH8w Follow Roxy Striar YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@TheWhirlGirls Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roxystriar/?hl=en Twitter:  https://twitter.com/roxystriar Intense Suspense by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Apparel! https://www.rejectnationshop.com/ Follow Us On Socials:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/  Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reelrejects?lang=en Twitter: https://x.com/reelrejects Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ Music Used In Ad:  Hat the Jazz by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... POWERED BY @GFUEL Visit https://gfuel.ly/3wD5Ygo and use code REJECTNATION for 20% off select tubs!! Head Editor: https://www.instagram.com/praperhq/?hl=en Co-Editor: Greg Alba Co-Editor: John Humphrey Music In Video: Airport Lounge - Disco Ultralounge by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ask Us A QUESTION On CAMEO: https://www.cameo.com/thereelrejects Follow TheReelRejects On FACEBOOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM:  FB:  https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thereelrejects Follow GREG ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/thegregalba/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thegregalba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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We're going to press play in three, two, law abiding. We just watched Law Abiding Citizen. It was so many twists and turns. It did so many things I wasn't expecting. Please leave a like in this video. in the video we're going to talk about the movie here in a moment but I want to thank Prepper first this was an R-rated movie and the

unsung heroes of YouTube are those who edit it down and make it possible. Also check out the Patreon for its uncut glory. Roxy, what do you think? That movie's so good. It was fun. I thought that was excellent. The twist, the turns, the reveals, but not just like

for shocks, it was really well. When you make a character and you announce that this character is the smartest person, in the room. That means you as the writers, you as the writer of this movie, have to be very smart because you have to manipulate and maneuver a situation in which we believe all of these things could be possible. And if you tell me that this man has a tunnel into every single cell of the prison, I'm thinking, BS, until I saw it, and the way that they did it, I felt it was

earned. So I think this was a ridiculously well-done movie. Great performances. Really cool to see some of the like cast work together that I can't think of other things that I've seen them do together which is great cast in general and yeah I thought it was like truly excellent how about you

I really liked it it's definitely a movie that I think it'd be nice to watch like once every 10 years so the tension builds again I feel like it might not be as rewatchable after a second time I think the second time would be really good

because you'd be like oh that was planted here blah blah but then after that it's like I'd want to build that tension back up like this was a really cool first experience. And then I second experience to be cool because you know the twist. And that'd be fun to watch as like a different experience. But then after that, I kind of want to like see how much I can forget about his machinations. Because that was part of the fun was watching the Domino's fall.

I really enjoy the performances. It was really cool to see, as you said, like some of these actors. We see in lots of things interacting for the first time together. I really like F. Gary's directing. I think he's really good at building tension. I think he's really good at kind of making you conflicted about, who you're rooting for and in this case this was like the height of that this was

you know like heat or American gangster or you know those movies where the criminal isn't necessarily like I'm a bad guy mustache twirling like there's merit in their rage and vengeance so you know I like looking at we have to have

systems at play in order to function societally but I think it's important that as often as possible we take a step back and look at those systems and realize if they've been updated to our current society because there's so much outdated garbage in how we do things and function

and believe it to be right and there are shades of gray and I think it's important to look at that so I thought it was an interesting way to make you look at your own shades of gray like what's your tipping point to the bad guy being the bad guy what point are you less entertained by like you know killing a corrupt lawyer is one thing

killing pure evil guys and and you know making sure they die is one thing but do you draw the line it's severing off body parts. Like, it kept escalating in what you were accepting. And I remember thinking Leslie Bibb was the bridge too far for him even being, you know, a guy that I could identify with that being the thing. But Jamie Foxx, like, really wasn't getting the mess. And obviously the system is, you know, they didn't even get to the money of the system.

They didn't even talk about how much money people make to, you know, have the prison industrial complex and stuff. So I really like that it wasn't political because what I just said would have made it, you know, in a way. but this allowed it to be like, hey, do you believe that people should be punished? And how far would you go? I'm super with you. I'm wondering how on earth we're going to do this next part. Ending it?

No. Which part? The Patreon. Oh. Do we have that yet? I don't know. I assumed we didn't, but we probably do. Let's see. And we found the questions.

When we last left you in completely different clothes, we couldn't get things to work and couldn't find Patreon questions. We came back and look at Roxy's hair. No, it is the same. I was just up. But you guys don't realize. Coy. Did we find that question?

Yeah. I pulled them up before we were going to start rolling. Hell yeah, dog. I was trying to be prepared, prepared. Now I don't even know how to. Uh-oh. How do we go? See?

What button did you press? This little guy. F3, and made all the things go out. I was close as F-1. Yeah. Yeah. Top 10 of the year so far. All right, we got questions.

Yeah, buddy. All right. So, deeper review for law-abiding citizen. First up, we got Ishi. Thank you, Ishi. Do you think Clyde was a villain, vigilante, or a necessary wake-up call? I don't think he was a villain. Gerard Butler.

Gerard Butler, this was a couple days ago for us. It was literally like 48 hours ago. Roxy has no memory. saying that today is monday we filmed it thursday that's friday saturday sunday monday that's four days 96 hours ago a lot has happened in my life 96 hours was a crazy window ago cried so many times between that and that washes away all memories of law abiding citizens really it does well because i was thinking about it and i was just like they both kind of were we had issues that yeah so um that's the beauty of nuance uh what's your answer to this i don't think he was a villain i think he was a vigilante

that was a necessary wake-up call. Like, I don't think he was a hero. I don't think he was right. But I think that he was coming from a righteous place. And I think that you need sometimes... It's a villainous thing to say, but, like, you've got to crack some eggs to make an omelet. Like, it wasn't going to get better

without him doing that. The system is flawed, and he did villainous things, but I don't think he was a villain. It's hard for me to not call somebody a villain when they murder innocent people. And I know that you could say everybody who's part of the system

isn't innocent, but like that girl, maybe her name was Sarah when we saw her in the car. That was the moment we both were like, oh, too far. Yeah, and not everybody who does villainous things is a villain. I don't think he was the villain of this story, but in life would I have been like, you went too far?

Yes, I think he did. Yeah, yeah. In the narrative, I think it was necessary evil, but notice evil. You did evil things, but I think that was the cool part about the movie is we both spent the whole movie like, oh, how do I feel? Oh, I I get it. Oh, no, like, I like that. Totally.

Great question, Ishi. Next up, we have Pavel Ketchmerich, who asks, Koi and Roxy, hello there, and lots of love from across the pond. There was a lot that I liked about law-abiding citizen, but I think that there are certain choices that Bueller's characters made. He crossed the line where I was no longer sympathetic to his cause. I also didn't exactly love Fox's characters. That whole made the ending totally anticlimactic and left me feeling,

well, nothing about the movie. Did you guys see it differently? That kind of lines up with what we just said But go ahead You like stumbled over Fox So it sounded like you said Rick Fox Which would be hysterical If you just imagine me Fox

Rick Foxx You're like Fox's character Rick Fox It was great It was so good I totally agree with you Pavel on this I think that

Once he started crossing the line I was having a hard time being sympathetic to his cause Even though I still I still did have sympathy for what had happened to his family Now you think about every person

he's taking away from their families and that's hard to respect same time i think coy and i brought up so many times that we were struggling with jamy fox's character too from jump it's like you know you are not showing up as the kind of dad or husband that you need to be showing up as you are just trying to get cross your t's and dot your eyes you're like you're just not doing the things we need you to by the end it seemed like he did get it but at the same time I know that you felt better about this than I did. There was still an explosion in the prison. I'm not feeling like it only took out.

Solitary confinement. It was lots. We saw it like outside and stuff. I feel like they both were okay with collateral damage. Sure. And so that was whatever. I didn't find the ending to be anticlimactic though. I thought it was so tense.

I thought it was climactic. I also, like you said, you felt nothing. I personally had the opposite feeling. I like when a film puts me in a position to judge myself. so me not liking Jamie Fox made me think like he's the good guy and me rooting at times for Girard Butler only he's the brand guy

I like that it doesn't they don't negate my feelings they amplify them I'd much rather have a movie like this than one that's colored by numbers and just fills in the gaps like this to me was much more interesting so I felt a lot in this movie do you think in this movie that that's what they thought

that Gerard Butler was the bad guy and that Jamie Fox was a good guy I think this was written to be nuanced and Jamie Foxx is supposed to be working against the guy we like we meet our bad guy first and that's typically the protagonist role so I think it was engineered to make the bad guy I would say the bad guys Gerard Butler okay but strong quotes but I'd say like the bad guy is Ashby and Tizby the bad guy or the awful the Dr. Seuss villains Ashby and Tisby those guys were one thing two thing

red thing blue thing yeah those those two henchmen with them but like that's those the bad guy But I would say between the two, you're supposed to feel conflicted. No, I'm with you. Next up we got Daffmer. Thank you very much, Daffmer. Hello, Coy and Roxy. Hello, Daffer! Oh, do you know Daffer?

No, just... He said hello. Oh, I don't want to be rude. That's true, and it's a great name, Dathmer. Daffer said, hello. Hello! All right, too-shay. I thought you're like, my buddy Daffmer.

He said, do we know Daffer? No, I do not. Now you do. No, I do not. Reints have been shared. Hello. This movie is so underrated. I love these two.

back to back. This movie is so underrated. I was wondering what kind of lessons and themes you took away from this film. I think I read somewhere that Gerard Butler was surprised how forgiving audiences were with his character and the actions they take dealing with creation. Where do the two of you fall morally with his actions? So he, Gerard Butler even, I think, thought of himself as playing a villain. Totally. I think that the casting director did an excellent job here

because, like, you about like Jared Leto in the Gerard Butler role. And I think that people would have been, like, crucify him. Yeah. And I'm not trying to throw shade at Jared Leto. I'm just saying, like, there are some actors who just are very charismatic in a way that it's like, I'm rooting for you. Yeah, I really want to support you. How Dexter works.

Like, Dexter's killing folks weekly. Right. And you're like, but Michael's he also charming. He's so charming. So something about the eyes or whatever, I think there's something about Gerard Butler that when he's saying, I'm surprised how forgiving you guys are. It's like, yeah, dude, because it's you. And of course, it's also the, I'm not taking away from the script or anything, but I think that. The direction, framing him certain ways.

Like, I think it's everything. And I also think the same thing with Jamie Fox, who's always a hero, who we always love. Yeah. And if he had been somebody that we tend to hate, I would have been like, he is the villain. Right. So I think they did a good job casting two very loved actors. Yeah, and two, people had a great chemistry. So, like, sometimes they're talking and they're like, they're getting along for the moment, but they're, I think it really worked.

And I agree. I think the, I think my experience closer aligns with, with yours than, with hello, Daffmer. With, yeah, with Hello Daffer. You have a hello kitty name now. You literally looked over me like, what? I was so confused. Am I not allowed to say hello, Koi?

Great, great with fervor. Ishi has a second question for us. Do you think Clyde's real plan was revenge or was it to make sure everyone else felt the same pain and helplessness he did? Both, I think. I don't think it was revenge. I think that it was really to, and I don't think it was to make them feel the pain and helplessness. I think he wanted to enact change.

I think he enjoyed torturing the guys that actually killed his family. That's revenge. But then it gets bigger. Yeah, he definitely likes to see people suffer, but I don't think that that was his real plan. Do you think Clyde's a real plan? I think that that was like something he did enjoy. But I think his real plan was like,

I need to, like, show that the system is corrupt. Yeah, I agree. Real plan, I think, is the macro, which I, what you're saying. But totally, he loved the torch. I mean, that scene where he films himself towards him. And, like, he, I think. Like, that's what I'm saying with the not just, you're messing with kids. Like, that poor child who watched that video, who you knew was at the house and could have gotten the video.

That didn't seem to help at all. No, that's why he's a villain. Right. Right. Now, if you've been part of the Reject Nation for a while, you've probably heard us mention our site, Rejectnation Shop.com, where you can get apparel such as this.

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helping people take their passion and turn it into profit. So if you've been sitting on an idea or a side hustle, this is your sign. Head to Shopify.com slash Real Rejects to start your free trial and get your first month for just $1 at Shopify.com slash real rejects, all lowercase. To build your thing, share your passion. Start today with Shopify. Thank you, Shopify for sponsoring this video. Cody Price. Hi, Coy and Roxy.

Honestly, I- Hi, Cody. I should have. How did I not pause and prepare? I was moments ago with Hello Daphmer. Hi, Cody. Hi, Cody. Hey, ladies.

Hi, Coe and Roxy. Honestly, I feel Gerard Butler is one of the most underrated actors in the film industry. I really enjoy his action films, but he has rarely been given the films that really show off his full acting range. Lay Miserob's most common criticism is that Russell Crow was miscast as Javert.

I also agree with that as well. Do you feel Gerard Butler would have been better cast in choice in that role? I have never thought of that, but yes. And he's a fan of the opera. Oh. He was cast in... Mark.

Yeah, Richard... No, Joel Schumacher did a Phantom of the Opera right after Lost Boys, and he's the Phantom. Yep, that makes sense. And he's great. I actually liked Russell Crow and Le Maiz. I know that people have issue with his voice, but I thought that he was great.

I think Gerard Butler, I just much prefer as an actor to Russell Crow. So probably because, like, all the stories that we've heard about Russell Crow, it's hard to, like, not think about. He seems to not be a fun person to work with. I don't know him personally. So, yeah, I think that he would be great. Is Gerard Butler the Has Fallen Franchise?

Olympus is falling right house down Is that his only franchise franchise? How to Train Your Dragon? Is that Jared Butler? Yeah. He's the dad. Have you seen them? Yeah.

He's the dad. I haven't seen live action. With the beard. I only heard the movie. He's seen the animated ones. Yeah. He's the only actor to reprise his role in live action.

Wow. And he did? Yeah. And he's great. How was he? Oh, it's so good. He's got the giant beard. I don't know much about that franchise.

watched them but like yeah they were cute so he's got that franchise and now live action what other does he have anything else hundreds pretty big yeah yeah I'm just trying to think because it is it is interesting growing up when we're younger I used to think of him as like one of the bigs and now I don't he's not in the conversation the same way that like Leo Brad Pitt George Clooney like I don't feel like Gerard Butler's in that conversation and he is so good I think the average movie star has a high and low and like those ones are all the exceptions. I think at the time of where both

it lived through, he was. I don't think that's usually sustainable. Yeah, yeah, totally. Kev B. Thank you, Kev B. How much does filming in real locations, not just sets or green screens, change the tone and energy of a movie for you as a viewer, if at all? It does a lot for it. Yeah, me too.

I'm very distracted by why is that person a black outline around? And like, I'm also very aware when it feels, like, the volume doesn't work for me 90% of the time. but, like, the Batman uses it as a distant background, but the set is practical in it. So, like, the scenes of Zoe Kravitz and Robert Pattinson standing at the sunset, that's a great opportunity

to make the most beautiful sunset ever and to have a closed set. But if you're interacting with stuff, that's different. If it's far distance, I don't tend to be as bothered, but we overuse it. I like practical locations as much as possible. I agree that everything you said, the only things I'll add is I really take into account budget as well.

I'm going to be way more lenient on a movie that's low budget on how things look because I know that it costs money. Then if something is a huge budget movie and the green screen doesn't look good, then it's like, come on. Like, what are we doing? But, you know, like sometimes we'll see movies that are like sub five mill and it's like, okay, so maybe that thing didn't look phenomenal. Yeah.

Like if it doesn't... If the story is great, then totally fine. If you need it for the story and that's what you can do. Then you made art. Exactly. Thanks for making art. Exactly. I just like a fine. that people are constantly knocking on green screen stuff.

And it's like, if this is a $75 million or above movie, keep knocking, just say don't like that. But if this is a low-budget movie, you know, it bothers me more when it's a real location that it's not where it's supposed to be. Like they say that it's in Boston, but they're actually shooting in Los Angeles. Oh, the LA is the worst.

There's like a palm tree over there. Like, what is that? There's desert behind that building. That used to have it all the time. Yeah. And like Boston's a great thing. great one that like Boston is so identifiable if you're from there.

Totally. But it's also identifiable if you've ever even seen it. Like you cannot shoot L.A. for Boston easily. And it's very glaring when you do. Yeah, totally. Totally. So I, yeah, I prefer you know, relocations as much as possible, but don't lie about where it is. If it's a story

based in a place, do your best to set dress. But again, budget and restrictions and time, I'm very forgiving as long as I'm enamored in the movie. Yeah. I didn't say hi to you, Kev because frankly, you didn't say hi to me. And frankly, she's been enthusiastic about all the highs, so you missed a window there, Kev B. Sorry, Kev B. Luckily, Kev B's got one more chance and didn't say hi there you.

Wow. Kev B. Hi. Wow, you're going to give him a high? I'm going to give him a high, but I'm going to pause dramatically, so he feels the guilt. Nice of you. Hi. Many of the scenes were shot at iconic spots all over Philadelphia. City Hall, historic cemeteries, even an old prison. I love Philadelphia. I went for the first time two years ago, and it's a great city.

It reminds me a lot of Boston, actually. Me, too, and me too. Really? My favorite people on planet Earth are from Philly. Like, I love the Philly people. It's a very good vibe. I love the place. It's such a good vibe.

As much as I love our Massels, like Philly has just got that edge, too, but they're... But I like Philly. Listen, I prefer Massholes 10 times times. Those are my people. But just, like, being objective. And meeting a new people. Meeting new people.

Yeah, it's just so great. I love them. My fiance is from Philly. It's the best. Anya's a North Philly kid. Probably the best guy. ever date. It was from Philly. Yeah. Yeah. That's why I'm marrying mine. Not a guy, but I'm the best person.

I missed out on that, yeah. Actually, fun trivia fact, you'll appreciate being from our neighborhood. The sister pub to the bell in the hand is in Philadelphia. What is it? There's a bar that is, I think it's called Kelly's, it's Irish. It's an Irish pub. And I was staying in a hotel. Fun fact for you guys, now that you're

staying this deep in the video. I was staying at a hotel and I looked out the window and down this alleyway of cobblestone, like tiny little alleyway jutting out slightly. I saw the orange. light and green and I went and so I like wandered in like a moth to the flame and they built all these skyscrapers around it did not touch this historic pub second pub in America first bell in the hand second here when people would fight in Boston come to make the laws in Philly they established this pub you walk inside it looks just like the bell in the hand no way some of the best service

I've ever had in the heart of Philly that is crazy I'm so sad that I haven't been there that's so that's so cool imagine being on vacation to meet your lady's family and walking into your home pub like I just opened a door and I was like oh for these those of guys who don't know what it is It's like anybody in Boston knows bell in the hands. Oh, so good. Yeah. This is the second. That's crazy.

So it's the sister pubs in Philly. That's crazy. I'll send you the info because it was a magic discovery. I want to go back to Philly. Love it there. Really good city. Well, that is it. That's why I gave a little anecdote at the end of trivia.

Their trivia, that is going to do it for our multi-day filming commentary with questions of law-abiding citizen. Any last thoughts in the movie? Hi. And also, bye. Bye. Bye. Thank you.