An ex-cop. One night. One job gone wrong and his family caught in the chaos.
Guns Up, an unforgettable action-comedy, starring Kevin James as beleaguered dad Ray Hayes and Christina Ricci as his fierce wife Alice streams February 6 on Lionsgate Play. Directed by Edward Drake, the film follows Ray, a former cop turned mob henchman, who dreams of opening a diner with his family but when his final job explodes, he has one frantic night to outrun the city’s deadliest criminals and protect the people he loves most.
Packed with relentless chases, knife fights, and gut-busting humour, Guns Up fuses explosive action with heartfelt family stakes. Melissa Leo (The Equalizer) and Luis Guzmán (Wednesday) also deliver standout performances in this thrilling story of survival, redemption, and chaos you won’t want to miss.
Kevin James on joining Guns Up
Kevin James on joining the project and the film`s unique tone, “I got involved first through the director, Ed Drake. He had called me and asked if we wanted to do this type of action kind of family movie. And it was again intriguing to me because I haven`t done a lot of movies that are with this tone, and it`s a little different for me and once we were in it, I understood what it was all about and I trusted the process and it felt great.”
Elaborating on the intense stunt work and collaboration, James noted his rigorous preparation, “I literally had probably three months or something of training with these guys. I went through some crazy fight training. We worked really hard because we wanted it to look real.” He further added, “Christina didn’t have much time to train but she was a badass in the movie and she made it look easy. It all came together well.”
Christina Ricci on choosing Guns Up
Taking about what made her take up this project, Christina Ricci shared, “This script came to me and I have always been a fan of Kevin’s. I have to say I have watched a lot of Kevin’s movies so I was really excited and my son in particular was excited as well. I love action and always wanted to do more of it and was excited to play a role like this. And, Ed has been very sweet and I feel he is responsible for a lot of heart in this movie.”
Ricci on the relatable family heart theme at the core of the film, shared, “This movie has a ton of heart. It`s really about a family. We play two parents who are in a very relatable situation. We`re having financial issues and have big hopes and dreams for ourselves and our kids, and we`re just trying to sort of do what we can to give our kids and ourselves a better life. And, I think that being the impetus of the whole thing and that lends a lot of heart to it. And, while it`s still full of action and it’s funny, I think that’s really what keeps it warm.”
