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Term Life

Term Life is a 2016 American action crime drama film directed by Peter Billingsley in his feature directorial debut, from a screenplay by A. J. Lieberman. It is based on the 2011 graphic novel of the same name by Lieberman and Nick Thornborrow.) The film stars Vince Vaughn, Hailee Steinfeld, Bill Paxton, Jonathan Banks, Mike Epps, Jordi Mollà, Taraji P. Henson, Annabeth Gish, and Terrence Howard. The plot follows a heist planner who takes out a policy on himself to provide for his estranged daughter when he becomes a target for after a job goes wrong. The film had its world premiere at the on April 21, 2016, and was theatrically released in the United States on April 29, 2016, in a limited release alongside by Focus World.

Overview

Plot

Nick Barrow () is a seasoned criminal who plans intricate heists and sells the blueprints to the highest-bidding crews, avoiding direct involvement. The story begins with one such plan: an sold to a group of thieves led by (). The heist succeeds, but the crew is ambushed and slaughtered upon returning to their hideout by forces tied to Victor Fuentes (). As the plan's architect, Nick is suspected of orchestrating the betrayal, leading Victor and corrupt cops, including the undercover Detective Keenan (), to pursue him. Desperate to provide for his estranged 16-year-old daughter Cate (), whom he has rarely seen due to his criminal life and her being raised by her alcoholic mother Lucy (), Nick visits insurance agent Samantha Thurman (). He buys a $1 million policy with Cate as the beneficiary, but it has a 21-day contestability period before payout. With hitmen and closing in, Nick locates Cate, who resents his intrusion into her troubled life, and convinces her to flee with him to survive the period. Their journey involves evading pursuers while Cate confronts Nick about his absences. Aided initially by Nick's elderly mentor Harper (Jonathan Banks), who reveals Keenan's role in the double-cross, father and daughter bond during the ordeal. Nick teaches Cate survival and heist-planning skills, such as evaluating and exit strategies, and surprises her with a birthday gift at a . Tensions rise with betrayals, including Keenan's elimination of his corrupt team to frame Nick further. Key action includes a during an after Nick's by a local (Terrence Howard), where Cate rescues him, and a confrontation when Keenan abducts Cate as bait. The narrative peaks in a standoff where Cate devises a plan using evidence of Keenan's murders to exonerate . With Victor's forces and Keenan converging, they turn the tables, leading to Keenan's downfall. The policy activates without contestation, but survives, allowing him and Cate to reconcile and start a new life together as .

Cast

The principal cast of Term Life features Vince Vaughn in the lead role of Nick Barrow, a small-time criminal and heist planner who becomes a target for multiple pursuers after a botched job; Vaughn also served as a producer on the film. Hailee Steinfeld portrays Cate Barrow, Nick's estranged teenage daughter, whose relationship with her father evolves from tension to partnership amid the chaos. Supporting roles include as Detective Keenan, the relentless law enforcement officer hunting Nick down. This marked one of Paxton's final on-screen performances before his death in March 2017. plays Harper, Nick's experienced mentor figure from the criminal underworld. appears as Samantha Thurman, the straightforward insurance agent who processes Nick's policy.
ActorRoleDescription
Nick BarrowProtagonist criminal father seeking to protect his daughter through a life insurance payout.
Cate BarrowNick's rebellious teenage daughter who joins him on the run.
Detective KeenanPursuing detective leading the manhunt.
HarperNick's grizzled criminal mentor providing guidance early on.
Samantha ThurmanInsurance agent handling Nick's term life policy application.

Production

Development

The development of Term Life originated from the 2011 Image Comics of the same name, written by A.J. Lieberman and illustrated by Nick Thornborrow, which follows a criminal father racing against time to secure his daughter's future through a policy. The was scripted by Lieberman himself, maintaining the story's core premise of high-stakes survival amid mobsters and corrupt officials. In June 2013, the project was formally announced, with attached to star as the protagonist Nick Barrow and serve as a producer via his company Wild West Picture Show Productions, alongside director , a longtime collaborator known for helming Vaughn's . The production faced an early setback when , which had initially backed the film, cancelled it in October 2013 due to scheduling conflicts. It was quickly revived the following month through initial financing from and , though production ultimately proceeded with financing from and . Hailee Steinfeld signed on in September 2013 as Nick's estranged daughter Cate Barrow, with casting progressing in early 2014 as joined as the detective Joe Keenan, rounding out the lead ensemble. Additional producers included Micah Mason and Victoria Vaughn for Wild West Picture Show Productions, as well as Kevin Scott Frakes for and , with joining as a co-financier and producer in April 2014; the budget secured at approximately $16.5 million to support . The script underwent polishing during this period without significant overhauls reported prior to filming. Later cast additions included as the hitman Harper.

Filming

Principal photography for Term Life took place primarily in , , beginning on March 3, 2014. The production utilized the city's urban landscape to stand in for itself, allowing for authentic on-location shooting without extensive set construction. Key sites included the Fulton Cotton Mill, known as "the Stacks," which served as the backdrop for the film's climactic shootout sequence, leveraging its decayed, industrial aesthetic to enhance the story's gritty atmosphere. Other locations in Atlanta and nearby Grantville captured urban street scenes, chases, and interior action, contributing to a 24-day principal shoot that wrapped without reported major reshoots. Filming faced logistical challenges inherent to on-location work in an active urban environment, including managing ambient noise from trains and planes that permeated the Stacks site. Safety concerns arose from the location's rusted and dilapidated structures, requiring careful coordination during action sequences involving stunt performers for gunfights and pursuits. Director emphasized the freeing aspect of shooting in , noting, "You walk in, point and shoot," which minimized disruptions but still necessitated set lockdowns to control access and acoustics. Actor Bill Paxton's scenes as a corrupt were completed efficiently, with rehearsals incorporating among the cast to refine tense father-daughter dynamics amid the violence. The production team employed cinematographer Roberto Schaefer, who shot the film using ARRI Alexa and Red Epic Dragon cameras to capture a raw, handheld style suited to the thriller's tone. Practical effects were prioritized for the violent sequences, relying on the locations' natural decay rather than heavy CGI to maintain realism in shootouts and escapes. Post-shooting edits incorporated some of the captured ambient sounds to heighten immersion, though no significant footage was lost or altered following Paxton's death in 2017, as principal photography had concluded well before the film's 2016 release.

Release

Theatrical release

The film Term Life was released on April 29, 2016, in the United States through a limited theatrical rollout alongside a simultaneous video-on-demand debut, distributed by Focus World, a specialty division of . Originally slated for a video-on-demand launch on March 1, 2016, followed by a limited theatrical opening on , 2016, the schedule was postponed by three weeks to allow additional refinements. It debuted in theaters across major markets, reflecting a targeted for an independent-leaning action thriller rather than a wide national release. Internationally, distribution was handled in select markets by and its affiliates, with rollouts staggered shortly after the U.S. premiere. The film opened in on April 28, 2016, coinciding closely with the domestic launch, followed by releases in on April 29, 2016, on May 12, 2016, and the on June 30, 2016. Other territories, such as the , saw primary availability through formats rather than extensive theatrical play, underscoring the film's emphasis on North American and limited global exhibition. This approach aligned with Focus World's model for mid-budget genre films seeking efficient market penetration without broad international commitments. Marketing efforts centered on digital promotion and to leverage star power, with the first official trailer debuting on January 21, 2016, via platforms like and , spotlighting Vince Vaughn's comedic timing in high-stakes action sequences alongside Hailee Steinfeld's dramatic role as his estranged daughter. A second trailer followed on February 10, 2016, further emphasizing the film's blend of humor, crime thriller elements, and father-daughter redemption arc, distributed through ' social media channels including and . Promotional posters prominently featured Vaughn and Steinfeld in tense, on-the-run poses, often with taglines like "If Nick Barrow can stay alive for 21 days, he'll die happy," to evoke the story's hook without heavy reliance on traditional media buys. The campaign remained modest in scale, prioritizing online trailers and interviews over large-scale , consistent with the limited release footprint and a reported under $20 million.

Home media

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray by on July 5, 2016. The Blu-ray edition includes , 5.1 audio, and English SDH . Special features on the physical releases comprise the A : Making Term Life, deleted and extended scenes, and an track featuring director and actor . It became available for digital download and (VOD) in on June 9, 2016, through platforms including . The film streamed on in the United States from 2017 until early 2020. As of November 2025, it is available for rent or purchase on digital platforms such as , , Movies, and at Home, with no free ad-supported streaming options in major markets. International VOD availability varies by region, often through local services like in select countries outside the US. Domestic home video sales, including DVD and Blu-ray, generated an estimated $197,522 in revenue. No major re-releases or anniversary editions have been issued.

Reception

Critical reception

Term Life received mixed to negative reviews from critics upon its release. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 0% approval rating based on 7 reviews, with the site's consensus describing it as squandering a solid cast on a half-baked thriller with no real payoff. Similarly, Metacritic assigns it a score of 23 out of 100, based on 4 critic reviews, indicating "Generally Unfavorable" reception. Critics praised certain performances and directorial elements. The chemistry between leads and was frequently highlighted as a bright spot, providing emotional warmth to the father-daughter dynamic amid the chaos. Director Peter Billingsley's handling of action sequences was noted for being cleanly plotted and tautly paced, contributing some tension to the proceedings. Bill Paxton's portrayal of the villain Sheriff Braydon was commended for its memorability, bringing a chilling intensity to the role in what was one of his final performances. However, the film faced substantial criticism for its narrative shortcomings. Reviewers often described the plot as formulaic, relying on predictable tropes from crime thrillers and redemption arcs without innovation. Tonal inconsistencies between comedic elements, dramatic family moments, and action were a common complaint, resulting in a disjointed experience that failed to balance its genres effectively. Supporting characters were seen as underdeveloped, appearing briefly without meaningful contribution to the story, which further weakened the ensemble. Comparisons to superior father-daughter action films like Taken underscored the movie's inability to deliver compelling stakes or emotional depth. Specific reviews echoed these sentiments. The Los Angeles Times called it "serviceable but ultimately unmemorable," appreciating the leads' rapport but lamenting the flat tone. IndieWire deemed it an "awful insurance thriller," critiquing its shapeless structure and mismatched ambitions as a thriller, neo-noir, and dramedy. The A.V. Club described it as a "father-daughter crime movie you can fall asleep to," pointing to the lack of urgency and stakes in the central relationship. Internationally, reception was similarly lukewarm, with outlets like Australia's The Blurb labeling it a "hodgepodge of genres" that suffocated under its indecision between , and . Post-release reevaluations have been limited, though tributes to following his death occasionally revisited the film, highlighting his standout villainy as a poignant element in an otherwise overlooked work.

Box office performance

Term Life had a , opening in 50 theaters on April 29, 2016, where it earned $13,040 during its debut weekend, averaging $261 per screen. The film's modest rollout was part of a simultaneous video-on-demand strategy, which limited its exposure in major markets. The movie ultimately grossed $21,256 domestically and $222,537 internationally, for a worldwide total of $243,793, far below its reported of $16.5 million. This performance represented a significant financial loss, especially when adjusted for to approximately $28,000 in 2025 dollars for the domestic gross. Key factors contributing to the underperformance included the constrained theatrical footprint amid competition from high-profile releases like , which dominated the that weekend, and a subdued effort focused on niche audiences rather than a broad campaign. In comparative terms, the film's earnings paled against Vince Vaughn's earlier comedy (2013), which grossed over $30 million domestically despite mixed reviews, highlighting Term Life's commercial struggles within Vaughn's filmography. The overall outcome underscored the risks of limited-release strategies for mid-budget action-dramas in a market favoring blockbusters.

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