When I filed into a tiny cinema (160 odd seats) at Fantasia Fest, I was pretty sure I knew what I was in for. I'd seen the trailer. It was a crime movie; cops and robbers type stuff. I was expecting criminals and violence. While I got both in spades, I also got a whole lot that I wasn't expecting. Zoie Palmer is wonderfully subtle as Frances Jane, a disillusioned cop who's presented with the darkest kind of ethical dilemma. The real brilliance comes in watching her attempt to navigate it with a morally ambiguous thief (her assignment turned uneasy ally) hanging like a millstone around her neck. Ryan Robbins as Cordero is the very definition of a smooth criminal. The set is stark and void of anything remotely comforting. The size of the cinema fed the feeling of trapped desperation. The violence, though harsh and unforgiving, comes off as purposeful rather than gratuitous. The supporting cast all do great work with their roles, and I'm not ashamed to say I was legitimately terrified by William MacDonald's portrayal of the cold and calculating Louis Holland. So yes, it is about crime. It's also about what happens when the rules that govern your personal code of conduct are quite literally cut away. Director Jason Lapeyre treats Zoie Palmer's character to the most costly personal growth workshop I've ever seen. There are scenes that haunt me still, weeks later. Hopefully distribution isn't far off for this gem. If you're lucky enough to catch it at a festival, don't hesitate. It didn't earn an audience award for nothing. Oh, and bring someone with you, because there's nothing comforting about holding your own hand.
