Destroyer

Beautiful, statuesque Nicole Kidman continues to demonstrate her fearless versatility, here playing Erin Bell, a boozing, brawling LAPD detective seeking revenge and redemption in this pulpy noir thriller. Bell’s life was devastated by the bank-robbing gang that she and her partner Chris (Sebastian Stan) tried to infiltrate in a botched undercover operation 17 years ago. Now the slippery gang leader, Silas (Toby Kebbell), is back in town, and Erin is relentlessly determined to track him down. At the same time, Bell, a neglectful mother, is aggressively trying to deal with her rebellious, estranged teenage daughter Shelby (Jade Pettyjohn), who has hooked up with a sleazy loser (Beau Knapp) and seems to be headed down the same toxic path that Bell originally followed. Obtusely scripted as a gritty “woman against herself” story, Destroyer is boldly directed by Karyn Kusama. Barely recognizable, Kidman wears a dark shag wig, along with prosthetics that alter her nose and bone structure. Sneaky and suspenseful, this crime drama is also filled with grimly blunt brutality. A strong optional purchase. (S. Granger)