“Prisoner’s Daughter” has three things going for it that make it exceptional — good writing; inspired acting; and incisive, unsentimental direction. That sounds simple, but that’s what most movies come down to: their strength or weakness in those three categories.

The premise isn’t much, like something out of a TV movie:Brian Coxplays a man who has spent much of his life, including the past 12 years, in prison. When it’s revealed that he has only a few months to live, he is told that he’s eligible for compassionate release. He can spend his remaining days under house arrest, but only if his estranged daughter (Kate Beckinsale) agrees to take him in.

Just reading that, you might think you know where the movie is going, and to some extent, you’d be right. This story has surprises, though the biggest surprise is how well the story is told.

As in every film directed by Catherine Hardwicke (“Miss Bala,” “13”) every actor in every scene knows why they’re there and what they’re doing, even the most minor players. No one is playing the scene’s destination. No one is playing their function in the story. They’re playing people with a point of view who are trying to accomplish something, while running up against other people with points of view who are trying to accomplish something else. Hardwicke doesn’t do mere storytelling, but drama.

For example, look at the way Hardwicke directs Tyson Ritter, who plays Beckinsale’s ex-husband. He’s a drug addict, a wastrel, totally untrustworthy, and he has a violent streak. He’s a bad guy, without question, but Hardwicke doesn’t have him play that. She has him play how he sees himself, as a funny person, as a talented musician, as a man in search of respect and as a loving father who just wants to see his son. We don’t just see his anger, but the source of his anger, and that makes him more alarming.

As Maxine, the title character, Beckinsale shows us things that Maxine is internalizing, as well as other things Maxine isn’t even aware of. She’s a naturally high-status person living a low-status life, a smart person who hasn’t had an intelligent conversation in years, an easygoing person suffering from constant financial stress, a person who has been hurt and resents it.

The beauty of Beckinsale’s performance is that she never stands outside Maxine and comments on her. She plays all her rage, confusion, shame, sadness, love and fear from within the limitations of Maxine’s experience. In this she is aided by Hardwicke’s direction and by Mark Bacci’s screenplay, which never gives Maxine more insight than she’d actually have.

I’ve saved Cox for last. What an amazing story his career has turned out to be. For more than 40 years — at least since he co-starred in “Masterpiece Theatre’s” “Thérèse Raquin” (1980) — everyone knew he was a very good actor. But he had to wait until he reached his 70s, with his starring role in “Succession,” for everyone to catch on that he’s great. His performance here is full of gravitas, regret and history, plus something else — the unshakable dignity of the tough guy.

“Prisoner’s Daughter” is, in a way, a simple movie. It’s also a cleverly (perhaps unconsciously) disguised version of John Wayne’s swan song, “The Shootist.” It’s one of those movies that you’ll enjoy as it goes along, only to realize, a day or two later, that it was even better than you thought.

Reach Mick LaSalle: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com