MISFORTUNE (2016)

June 15, 2016

misfortune Greetings again from the darkness. Sporting the vibe of two buddies making a movie on their own terms, the film plays like a late night B-movie that would be perfect for one of those sleepless nights. Writer/director Desmond Devenish and co-writer Xander Bailey also star in their own movie … a decision that implies passion project and low budget (both of which can be good or bad).

Nothing in the script is new or groundbreaking, as we have a jewelry store robbery that ends in a double-cross and shootout among partners in crime. This is followed by a 7 year flash forward with the son of the dead partner seeking revenge for his father’s death, and the early-paroled partner on the hunt for the stolen diamonds. Of course, there is nothing wrong with a dose of familiarity as long as the characters and setting are interesting.

The original two partners are played by a couple of familiar and excellent actors: Kevin Gage as Mallick and Nick Mancuso as Roman. Both have great screen faces and voices, and we are left wishing these two could go at each other a bit longer. Also in the mix is Steve Earle, friend to Roman and later his son. Once Mallick is paroled, it’s filmmakers Devenish as Boyd and Bailey as Russell that get most of the screen time – along with Jenna Kannell (a Neve Campbell lookalike) as Boyd’s girlfriend Sloan.

After the worst (unintentionally comical) rock climbing movie scenes ever, we get more shootouts and double-crossing … although Carl Bailey as the Sheriff adds a quick dose of realism and interest. The film would have been better served with a more experienced actor in the role of Boyd, though Xander Bailey does a very nice job in the mostly thankless role of Russell.

The film squanders the desert setting and could have followed the model of last year’s Mojave (with Oscar Isaac), which put the desert front and center as a character unto itself. From a filmmaking perspective, it’s difficult to determine if budget limitations minimized the suspense and conflict, or if that was more script related. The one sure lesson here is … don’t squander the talents of Nick Mancuso or Steve Earle!

Leave a Comment » | Drama, Thriller | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

THE WORLD MADE STRAIGHT (2015)

January 21, 2015

the world made straight Greetings again from the darkness. The Hatfields and McCoys family feud has long been a favorite topic and inspiration for literary and film projects. Lesser known, but ultimately more tragic and historically vital, is the 1863 Shelton Laurel Massacre during the Civil War. The novel from Ron Rash is the foundation of director David Burris’ film that explores the fallout of that incident more than 100 years later in the very rural Appalachian hills of Madison County, North Carolina.

It doesn’t take us long to get a line on Travis (Jeremy Irvine, War Horse), a high school dropout with authority issues who hangs out with his equally aimless friends, including Shane (Haley Joel Osment, The Sixth Sense). We have seen many film depictions of hillbillies over the years, so the grim atmosphere of unemployment, isolation, lack of education, drugs and lack-of-hope aren’t surprising, and the undercurrent of the 1863 event is what should have set this one apart.

Interest picks up when teacher-turned-drug dealer Leonard (Noah Wyle) takes Travis under his wing after Travis has an unfortunate run-in with Carlton (Steve Earle), another local drug dealer. Travis moves in with Leonard and his drug-addicted girlfriend (Minka Kelly), and takes a real interest in the journals of Civil War soldiers that Leonard has collected. These stories spark a curiosity within Travis, in particular the saga of 13 year old David Shelton – one of the victims of the massacre.

It’s the fact that Travis is oblivious to the history of his family, and how this event has so affected life in his hometown, that makes this story difficult to buy into. In spite of the communication void between Travis and his father, it’s just not possible that the massacre would not have been a frequent topic of discussion throughout the years. Beyond that, this is little more than a typical small town battle between drug dealers … albeit two very articulate drug dealers.  And yes, guns and turf do play a role here.

Jeremy Irvine, Noah Wyle and Steve Earle each make their characters someone interesting to watch. On the other hand, the female characters are mostly after-thoughts or plot devices. Travis’ mother maintains a forlorn look that registers her resignation to fate, while Minka Kelly mostly gets knocked around (save for one excellent scene while alone with Travis), and Adelaide Clemens provides the rare sparks of light and optimism as Travis’ love interest – and then just as quickly becomes a non-entity.

The fine acting and excellent camera work deserved a better story, especially given the framework of history. There is a recurring hillbilly philosophy in the movie that states “Time don’t pass. It’s just layers. It’s all still happening.” That philosophy could have better tied the current story into the past, which would have elevated this film to a new level.

watch the trailer:

 

 

Leave a Comment » | Drama | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson