The 2025 drama film Liquor Bank may not necessarily be a message in a bottle, but it is a message nonetheless. Marcellus Cox, the man who brought us the superb Mickey Hardaway, tells a short tale about the battle fought with alcohol. This particular battle, like the short intimate tale presented here, is often solitary and one that often leaves a victor best taken in shots.
The story
Eddie, a war veteran, spends the night drinking. The only problem here is that this was meant to be his one year anniversary of being clean. He trades in his first coin from AA for a massive hangover and an air of acceptance.
Baker; his sponsor, has other plans.
Intimate Cast
Sean Alexander James is Baker.
Antwone Barnes is Eddie.
This one works
Liquor Bank gives us a protagonist who is a veteran. Based upon a true story, Cox gives us two players who must interact convincingly. There must be a believable give and take between “victim” and “saviour.” The two roles allocated anyone who enters into an AA program.
Eddie is the victim who reached rock bottom a year ago. Baker is the man who willingly becomes his brother’s keeper. By the end of Liquor Bank both men have aligned themselves accordingly.
Knocking it out of the park
James can be seen as a Marcellus Cox “regular.” He worked on Mickey Hardaway as Officer Williamson. The actor has a pretty prolific list of credits to his name and his work here shows it. He manages, along with Barnes, to take this tight, intense and intimate (There is that word again.) story and make it work. Set in an apartment with camera angles that are so tight they almost scream with pain, the whole film nails its subject matter.
Both actors knock this one out of the park. As do the technical crew behind the camera. Cinematographer Fabian J. Tehrani and Editor James L Gilmore Jr. make a perfect team here. So too do the sound mixing team of Fletcher Alliston; mixer and editor Matt Broadfoot along with Art Director Chris Hodge. The whole group have given us a gritty, short and intense look at, almost, solitary battle.
the verdict
The Liquor Bank earns a sold 5 stars here. Timing was a factor here, I’d just finished reviewing another veteran story about “falling down.” It was necessary to leave a bit of time between the two films to give an honest review and ranking. Liquor Bank is entering its festival run. Keep an eye out for this one.
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