★★★★
Directed by: Richard Corso
Written by: Richard Corso, Kareem Kamahl Taylor
Starring: Gabe Combs, Asha Bee, Mandy Groves
,,Film Review by: ,,Jason Knight
This short film noir was inspired by the sixties French New Wave Cinema and the American cop movies of the seventies.
Two young women named Lulu (Bee) and Jules (Groves) are armed robbers and are planning to leave town shortly. They have just robbed a movie theater and it is up to detective Brooks (Combs) to find them.
Watching this film is like using a time machine and going back to the sixties and seventies. This is mostly due to the cinematography and music. It was filmed in black-and-white and appears old, giving the impression that it was made decades ago. The image appears with pillarboxing, which is an effect that occurs when black bars are placed on the sides of the image. By utilizing these elements, the filmmakers seem to be paying homage to the sixties and seventies.
Another interesting aspect is the score, which consists of the sound of drums, saxophone and keys, like jazz or blues. This music is heard throughout the film, sounding and gives a ‘film-noir’ feeling.
The filmmakers do a great job with the editing, making use of superimposition, jump cutting and fast cutting techniques. A sequence that deserves considerable praise occurs when one of the robbers is shown in an alley, dancing by herself. It is a brief montage sequence that utilizes jump cuts and in every shot of that sequence, the color of the screen changes between blue, green and pink. The result is rather creative and beautiful.
The acting is quite realistic. Bee and Groves are cool and calculative as two women who are living a life of crime and do not seem to regret their actions. Combs delivers a convincing performance as the clever detective who is determined to track them down.
The directing is good and the dialogue is well written, with interesting characters.
Generally this is a crime film, a cops-and-robbers movie. It has detectives investigating, criminals, guns, a bit of action and plenty of smoking. However, thanks to the cinematography and score, it is much more than just a little film noir.
#JasonKnight
Trailer:
https://vimeo.com/476543826
