Overview.
“A Working Man,” directed by David Ayer and co-written with Sylvester Stallone, is an action-thriller based on the novel Levon’s Trade by Chuck Dixon. Jason Statham leads as Levon Cade, a former black-ops soldier turned construction worker. When his boss’s daughter is kidnapped by human traffickers, Levon taps back into his lethal skillset in a gritty, no-frills rescue mission.
Cast Members of A working Man Movie.
Here’s a look at the principal cast:
- Jason Statham as Levon Cade (main character)
- Michael Peña (boss or related key figure)
- David Harbour (role unspecified)
- Jason Flemyng
- Arianna Rivas (kidnapped daughter)
- Noemi Gonzalez
- Merab Ninidze
- Maximilian Osinski
- Emmett J. Scanlan, Eve Mauro, and others also join the ensemble
While an exact actor count depends on inclusion of small roles or extras, the core ensemble spans 8–12 actors in key roles.
Who Is the Main Character of A Working Man.
The heart of the film is Levon Cade, portrayed by Jason Statham. A man who traded bullets for building blocks, Levon’s life stabilizes around construction—until tragedy strikes close to home. His return to violence is painted as reluctant, instinctual, yet deeply personal. He embodies the tough-but-loyal hero archetype, a common motif in Statham’s filmography.
Box Office Performance.
Budget: ~$40 million
Worldwide Gross: ~$100 million, making it a modest commercial success
Opening Day: $5.6 million in U.S. theaters, topping its debut day at the box office
Domestic vs International: Specific split not noted in Wikipedia, but Collider mentions roughly $33M domestic and another ~$30M internationally, summing to ~$63M—but Wikipedia’s total is $100M, which may include extended runs.
Niche / Genre Position.
This film occupies a very clear action-thriller niche—lean, dark, high-stakes, gritty revenge plot. It caters to fans of “Taken”-style narratives, with similar themes of lone-hero rescue missions. Critics and reviewers point out that it lacks freshness, but leans into Statham’s brand of stoic, violent efficiency.
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Cast | 8–12 key actors: Jason Statham, Michael Peña, David Harbour, Jason Flemyng, Arianna Rivas, Noemi Gonzalez, Merab Ninidze, Maximilian Osinski, plus others. |
| Main Character | Levon Cade (Jason Statham), a former black ops operative turned construction worker, drawn back into violence to save a loved one. |
| Box Office | Budget: ~$40M • Global Gross: ~$100M • Opening day: $5.6M • Modest hit. |
| Niche | Lean, violent, Taken-adjacent action thriller—a Statham vehicle at its core. |
| Deep Dive | Action-centric, emotionally lean, fast-paced, and reliant on genre comfort over innovation. Solid for fans of go-with-the-flow tough-guy cinema. |
Deep Dive. {A Working Man }
First Act: The Quiet Before the Storm
Levon Cade, as usual from a Statham film, isn’t seeking trouble—he’s seeking stability—or at least, routine. As a construction foreman, he channels discipline into leveling beams and raising walls. The film introduces him in domestic context: loving yet duty-bound, committed to a simple life. Then tragedy shakes his world: his boss’s daughter—his “family”—is abducted in a brutal act of human trafficking.
Ayer fast-breaks the tone from quiet, grounded moments into chaos—Levon’s buried skill set leaks out, in bursts of pain and focus. There’s a sense that choice is grimly absent; he doesn’t choose to fight—he falls into it.
Midpoint: Into the Lair
The middle section sees Levon step awkwardly into his old life of violence. Themes—duty, trauma, paternal protection—begin to stir. The narrative leans hard on reprises of genre staples: surveillance, interrogation, interrogation-by-fist. Critics note a tonal inconsistency: not quite as slick as John Wick, not as emotionally layered as Taken—and yet, rigid enough to satisfy action camp.
Supporting performances—from Peña, Harbour, and others—surface here, but reportedly make little narrative ripple. They’re functional allies or villains, rather than symbols of redemption or vengeance.
Climax & Resolution: Brutality Reigns
The finale dives into $%&-your-eyes-off choreography: gunfire, muscle, grunts. Levon dismantles the trafficking ring with precision. The film delivers violent catharsis—but critics say the emotional stakes remain shallow. It’s action without arc, climax without clarity. Still, it’s Statham’s version of clean, tidy justice.
Thematic Undercurrents
What could have been a meditation on post-traumatic identity instead stays in “tough guy with a job to do” territory. That’s not necessarily a flaw—it’s a choice. But reviewers lament a lack of tonal unity or emotional nuance. Ayer’s direction and the co-writing with Stallone choose efficiency and familiarity over introspection.
Final Thoughts.
A Working Man isn’t broad—it knows its lane and steers right down the center. If you’re craving no-nonsense action, with a familiar hero and enough fury to match your popcorn, it delivers. On the other hand, if you’re searching for thematic depth, emotional weight, or nerve-jangling originality, this one serves form over feeling.
In the end, Levon Cade gets the job done. So does the film. Whether that’s enough depends on how deeply you want your action served.
