Directed By: Josh Becker

Written By: Josh Becker and Peter Choi

Story By: Peter Choi

Cinematography: Kurt Rauf 

Editor: Raymond Berthheaud and Kaye Davis

Cast: Bruce Campbell, Jeremy Roberts, Anita Barone, Stan Davis, Art LaFluer, Dana Craig, Gordon Jennison, Curtis Taylor, Bridget Hoffman 

Carl is released from jail after serving a 5-year term and immediately sets about executing his next heist. The plan is relatively simple but time is critical. However, he doesn’t factor in bad luck or the incompetence of his accomplices.

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It is taking me a while to finally watch this film in full, which is surprising considering it’s barely over an hour though over the years I’ve always seem to catch it in the middle or way late into. It’s running time.

So it’s refreshing to finally watch the film from beginning to end as it is an experiment where the film takes place in real time and made to look like it’s one endless continuous take, and shot.

While giving the film kind of a bee movie plot and in black and white that makes it feel time looks like it could take place at any time this film could’ve been a minor Marvel if not for a few things that take away from the film.

The early homophobic language which feels more character based and acceptable in the time period in which this film is made and set don’t know if it’s was any original script or if it was an ab Lib it’s understandable, but also unneeded and comes out of nowhere.

Early in the film, you pretty much know where it’s gonna go as Bruce Campbell playing the lead in the man who’s getting out of prison with no nonsense plan already with his screwup of a best friend who seemed to cut corners here and there if you can tell a success is not in their future.

Not to mention how many times they keep bringing up their past that even after a while it feels like overkill as we get it we get the depths of their friendship and their relationship

Then even with a kind of positive ending, it feels unbelievable you want it for the characters but again it just feels so out of left field where you wondered did they not have enough money for a grand finale or was it always meant to be that simple?

If not for these negatives, this film could’ve been seen as an underrated classic it certainly not worthy, especially for what it pulls off and on such a low budget by director writer Josh Becker, who was part of Sam Raimi’s production team, which is obviously how we got Bruce Campbell involved, most likely.

Josh Becker actually sold a script to a studio for around $67,000. That still has yet to be made but he used that money to make this film as Mr. Becker is quite a director whose films are more cult titles such as THOU SHALT NOT KILL… EXCEPT and LUNATICS: A LOVE STORY. That showcase quite an imagination and creativity. I am in particular a fan of his films, though they are a little harder to find over the years.

Even if at time it feels like watching an off broadway play in a black box theater by a new playwrite. It somehow works and is admirable. 

The film was shot in 10 days, in order. So not in one continuous take. Bruce Campbell has said that his performance in this film and BUBBA HO-TEP are the one’s he is most proud of 

Though I also have to give the film credit for giving Jeremy Roberts, a well-known character actor, a decent part where he gets to play full supporting instead of just a henchman or a villain or just a general bad guy who doesn’t have much lines even though he’s a screwup you kind of like his character in this film.

Anita Barone in a supporting role as a hooker, and maybe love interest who has a past with the main character is certainly vivacious and eye catching, but she does make her mark in her limited screen time to make her an interesting character that you wish had more screen time in a chance to see how she got to where she was, but she certainly engaging.

The cinematography here is top notch. You can tell the film is low budget so it’s not the prettiest, but it is well filmed and again at least while watching it you can see imagination and ideas at work as well as a bit of a throwback to maybe the films that might have inspired.

This is definitely a film. I think most film fans and independent filmmakers should see they don’t necessarily need to see but when they feel like they wanna watch something original and maybe a bit from the recent pass this is a foundation definitely check out. 

It’s a close, but no cigar, at least you’re gonna be smoking

Grade: B-