Aside from a simple twist, it’s practically impossible hard to tell Karl R. Hearne’s second feature The G apart from the pulpy, noirish revenge thrillers of a similar ilk. This is for both good and for ill. On one hand that difference is so stark that it forces you to pause and reflect. On the other hand, the film is largely indistinguishable outside of this difference.

Let’s cut to the chase: The G is every bit the “they messed with the wrong man’s family” revenge thriller that you would expect it is. Except, in this case, the man is actually a coarse grandmother played by My Name is Earl’s Dale Dickey. Here, Dickey plays Ann, a former badass of some repute. Like every badass, her relationships with her family are strained save her relationship with Emma (Romane Denis), a law school dropout who idolizes her grandmother’s gruff exterior.

The G kicks into gear after a corrupt elderly care facility kidnaps Ann, the facility taking guardianship of those deemed unable to take care of themselves. In doing so, the white-collar criminals can seize Ann’s assets. Unfortunately, when they can’t find her money, things escalate. Yet, Ann is the wrong senior citizen to mess with.

Dickey’s performance is quite strong. It’s perpetually brimming with a seething rage, but when it should spill over, it doesn’t. The balance is key to making Ann seem exceedingly competent. Yet, the real problem with The G is when it needs to be exciting, it just isn’t. The film’s third act is real dull. Most of the enjoyment that I had stemmed from trying to figure out who Ann was. When it became clear that she was ostensibly just Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino – in grandmother form, sans the racism – I was less engaged.