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Don’t mess with A Working Man
That could be the unofficial tagline of A Working Man, Director David Ayer’s high-octane, emotionally-charged tribute to the everyman hero. Hitting theaters this Friday 3/28, this film brings together a dream team: Jason Statham in the lead role, a script co-written by Sylvester Stallone, explosive stunts designed by longtime stunt coordinator Eddie Fernandez, a standout appearance by David Harbour and strong performances from Arianna Rivas and Noemi Gonzalez, among others.
While on the surface from the trailers alone, A Working Man might look like a straight-up action flick, A Working Man punches far above its weight with unexpected emotional resonance, deep character arcs, and a story rooted in love, loyalty, and the relentless fight to protect those we call family.
For Ayer, this film was a return to form—and a personal one at that. “It’s a traditional ‘80s, ‘90s style action movie where you have really good characters,” the Director tells PWInsider.com. “There’s a lot of fun. It doesn’t take itself too seriously. Yet, there are these really intense moments.”
Working alongside Stallone, whose Rocky franchise inspired a generation of underdog stories, was a full-circle moment for Ayer. “Rocky was a huge inspiration when I was a kid,” he shares. “It showed the power of cinema and how much impact a film can have. His personal story—how he wrote that script, how he protected it—was inspirational for me as a writer starting out.”
The influence of Stallone’s legacy is all over A Working Man. The film’s themes of blue-collar grit, perseverance, and standing tall against impossible odds feel ripped from the DNA of the golden age of action movies—but updated with modern flair and emotional depth.
At the center of it all is Jason Statham, playing Levon Cade, a hardened man who’s left his military ops past behind for a blue-collar construction life. Adopted by the Garcia family, Cade finds himself called into action when their daughter Jenny (Arianna Rivas) has been kidnapped while on a night out. Cade charges directly into the path of danger, but in A Working Man, Statham is given the chance to unveil a bit of a softer side.
“We get to see him smile. We get to see him be part of this family,” Ayer says. “We get to see him really fight for people we care about.”
Levon’s quiet vulnerability, paired with Statham’s trademark toughness, makes him one of Ayer’s most compelling protagonists to date.
At its core, A Working Man is about the kind of cinematic wish fulfillment audiences crave—bad guys getting what they deserve, and a hero who truly earns the title.
“A good movie is gonna have good bad guys,” Ayer says. “It’s gonna have bad guys that we love to hate and we wanna see 'em get what they deserve. There’s a saying that, the greater the villain, the greater the hero. And so I figured by throwing a whole bunch of great villains at Jason, we’d end up with a really great hero. And I think we did.”
Stunts are the lifeblood of any action film, and for Ayer—whose resume includes Suicide Squad, End of Watch, and The Beekeeper—the way they evolve from page to screen is part of the magic. “In the script, it’s like a basic blocking,” he explains. “I’ve done this long enough to know that when I write a stunt scene, an action scene within a script, that it’s gonna evolve, it’s gonna become something else… You can’t sit there and write choreo, punch for punch, kick for kick. You can give the reader a sense of what you want to do.”
That evolution is a collaborative process between director, stunt coordinator, and performers. “The stunt players always have their own little world,” he says. “I’ll go and visit and see what they’ve cooked up and everybody throws in their ideas.”
Despite the heavy action pedigree, Ayer says this project stands out as a more emotional, character-driven entry in his filmography. “It’s a lot of fun. It has a lot of heart. I think it has more heart than people would expect,” he notes. “It’s a traditional ‘80s, ‘90s style action movie where you have really good characters. There’s a lot of fun. It doesn’t take itself too seriously. Yet there are these really intense moments.”
Of course, A Working Man is an action film, and just like professional wrestling, fans are coming to see something amazing unfold before their eyes. From the very first punch to the final showdown, A Working Man delivers the kind of action that feels personal, grounded, and brutal. That’s thanks to Eddie Fernandez, who has choreographed stunts for Statham across eight films—including The Beekeeper.
“When you work on a film like this and there’s such an intensity… it’s a mission,” Fernandez explains to PWInsider.com. “Jason is very athletic, very savvy. He knows fights. He remembers the choreography. He gives input.”
That trust and experience translate directly into the stunt planning. “He choreographs. I choreograph things. And he knows where he is at, 'cause he’s very athletic. He loves doing fight scenes,” Fernandez says.
The stunt work in A Working Man leans heavily into hand-to-hand combat, keeping things gritty and personal. “This one here is more like hand-in-hand, barreling through people. There’s a couple of flips and stuff like that, sweeps, but basically more hand-in-hand and barreling through the bad guys to get to where he needs to get—to save this girl.”
That simplicity and intensity mirror the emotional urgency of the film. As the character fights his way through waves of thugs, every punch is rooted in purpose. Fernandez credits the script and director David Ayer for giving the stunt team a clear foundation: “David puts us in a situation where [Jason] needs to get out. So that’s where we come in… we figure out the what, where, and how many people. Then we choreograph all that and show it to Jason.”
The collaborative nature of the stunt development was essential—and personal. “He loves to put input in, and we love his ideas, 'cause we know this is his character.”
Building on past films like The Beekeeper also helped the team evolve their approach. “It helps a lot,” Fernandez says of their ongoing collaboration. “We talk about what’s in, what have people seen, what have people not seen him do… then we try to combine that with some of the fights we come up with.”
In The Beekeeper, Statham’s character disassembled weapons in seconds, a sleek, calculated combat style. But in A Working Man, the approach is more primal, more raw. “This one is more barreling through the thugs to save the girl,” Fernandez explains. “A different fight, a different style.”
But one thing remains consistent: Statham’s dedication. “There’s nothing you can say Jason cannot do,” Fernandez says. “He remembers the fights. We choreograph it together. He has input. And then once we get the green light, David Ayer says, ‘Let’s do it.’”
That level of trust and collaboration shaped the film’s stripped-down style. “This one is more hand-in-hand, barreling through people,” Fernandez says. “There’s a couple of flips and sweeps, but it’s mostly just him crashing through the bad guys to save this girl.”
It’s a return to something raw, something real. Indeed, the film is raw, grounded, and drenched in working-class grit....and that’s where it shares its DNA with WWE.
WWE, despite its larger-than-life characters and over-the-top drama, has always been carried the everyman as their target audience, often having major characters as avatars for the audience. Whether it was "Stone Cold" Steve Austin flipping off the boss, or affable yet dangerous Mick Foley's rises to prominences, WWE thrives on tales of defiance, redemption, and in its best moments, guts over glam. A Working Man delivers the same punch—just replace suplexes with sledgehammers.
Rising star Arianna Rivas steps into the role of Jenny Garcia, a black-belt karate student, pianist, and straight-A student who finds herself at the center of the film’s emotional storm. For Rivas, playing such a dynamic character meant going all-in.
“I had to prep and do a month of martial arts, karate training,” she tells PWInsider.com. “Jenny is a black belt… I’ve always wanted to learn martial arts, so being able to do that and invest into that was amazing.”
The physical demands were only part of it. “[Jenny] is such an overachiever, she’s so ambitious. I wanted to put that same level of dedication into it that she does.”
That dedication shines through in every scene, as Rivas balances her character’s determination with vulnerability, strength with sensitivity. And much of that performance was inspired by the ensemble around her. “The cast was phenomenal, and I got to learn a lot from them,” she shared. “It was a great team and a great experience.”
Rivas’s performance balances intensity with vulnerability, and the chemistry between her and Statham creates some of the film’s most moving moments. “I love to kick butt,” she jokes. “But I also learned it’s okay to hold something sensitive and represent something bigger than yourself. Representing Latinas, representing strong young women—that means everything.”
Portraying Jenny’s mother, Carla, is Noemi Gonzalez, who delivers a grounded, heartfelt performance. She spoke about the cultural richness of her character’s family—and how that bond anchors the film.
“Latinos know how to love,” she says proudly. “We know how to give love. Whether you like it or not, you’re gonna get some love—in the form of at least food.”
Gonzalez sees Levon’s integration into their family as a central emotional thread. “He might be on his solitary journey, but clearly there’s something about us that makes him want to continue to clock in—for work, yes—but also for love, for the bond. That’s the magic.”
The film becomes as much about chosen family as it is about conflict. “That was the fun—having our real family and support, but then having chosen family. There’s a moment in the movie where the family chooses Jason. That’s powerful.”
More than just a series of well-executed set pieces, A Working Man is about the fight behind the fight: the resilience and the sense of duty that drives people to protect one another.
“I hope people take away the idea of resilience, perseverance, fighting for the people you care about,” Gonzalez says. “Above all, I hope they have fun. I hope they enjoy the action. I hope they enjoy the thrill. And squash with their friends. Make it a community moment.”
Ayer couldn’t agree more. “Smiles,” he says. “That’s what I hope for. A great experience in the theater. It’s made for the big screen. It should be seen on the big screen. It’s gonna remind people of why they go to the movies.”
A Working Man isn’t just an action movie—it’s a powerful story of identity, sacrifice, and connection. With knockout performances, intensely choreographed fight scenes, and a script that dares to care, it’s a rare blend of heart and havoc. A throwback in ‘80s spirit, but a step forward with 21st century storytelling. It's a cinematic cousin to the squared circle. If WWE is myth, then this movie is legend grounded in mud and sweat. Both are about the fight. Both are about standing up when someone attempts to wrong you. In both, the working man—the world's truest underdog—is always the last one standing.
A Working Man hits theaters this Friday.
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