A Shot Through the Wall

The brisk, eventful melodrama has an undeniably absorbing appeal...

Gripping and well-acted, the drama A Shot Through the Wall brings a somewhat flawed but mostly realistic look at how the American criminal justice system deals with a police officer who shoots and kills an unarmed Black man who wasn't committing a crime.

Regardless, Long does an impressive job with an immensely difficult subject, anchored by the strength of a nuanced performance from her leading actor Kenny Leu.

Overall, A Shot Through the Wall provides a great dramatized look at the issues of racial politics, particularly anti-Blackness and a need for police reform.

The movie's ending feels contrived, too pat to be believable but Long sustains interest as she tries for -- without quite achieving -- a big-picture look at a hot-button issue.

Providing a fresh perspective on a hot-button topic, this earnest yet provocative low-budget drama about the aftermath of a police-involved shooting benefits from some intriguing character dynamics and a deeply felt performance by Kenny Leu.

It's not until the very end ... that the movie genuinely confronts the pain of its premise. By then, it's far too little and far too late.

A somber, thought-provoking essay on policing, race, firearms and family.

A Shot Through the Wall gives voice to the Asian community and police officers in difficult scenarios. It cheats with a blunt resolve and lack of attention to the black victim, but is definitely a worthy effort.

A timely gripping narrative debut from Aimee Long