How to Rob

I'm a fan of indie film and especially noir but I hit a big snag with the casting. One of two main characters, the guy who played Jimmy and Corky, the guy playing his little brother, both just didn't fit the part at all. Both those guys seemed to me better suited for comedy. Needless to say they spoil the mood completely. And Corky's mom was a bad stereotype.

I say this as someone from Boston who has some familiarity with this element, having grown up with guys who did this kind of thing.

I have to give them credit for doing a decent job with the Boston accents. That's something that's apparently very difficult for Hollywood to accomplish.

The two thugs playing the bad guys were OK, althouygh they tried to hard at times, but that may have been the writing, hard to tell.

Five stars is a stretch given that at no point did I get caught up in the story. It's just ok overall.

It amazes me what an indie film production can do for a city that only gets a solid crime film every five to ten years. Between the excellent writing/direction of Peter Horgan and the amazing performances by both leads Chinaza Uche and Joshua Koopman, you're just pulled in from the start and it doesn't let go until the credits roll. The amount of twists and turns you experience in ninety minutes is something that can easily fall like a house of cards either becoming predictable or forced. In this case, they come when you least expect it, and continue to keep you on the edge of your seat as you watch its story unfold. Highly recommend for those looking for a dark, gritty crime flick who's ready to take a chance on the next best filmmakers coming from the indie scene.

When I rented this tonight this movie had a NINE rating! I figured it must be a real sleeper and great. Uh, NO!

I'll say the acting was excellent but I was totally lost on the story or what point the writer was trying to make with the ending! I was expecting some funny, some action, and some silly buddy/buddy moments. These dudes are BASKET CASES and more emotional than the average woman. I didn't like either character. It seemed like they were some petty thieves but the next thing you know they are the Dillinger gang! It just didn't make any sense to me and I rooted against them both.

It's not unwatchable but it was definitely not enjoyable.

I'm not going to go into detail and have to worry about spoilers but I'll leave it at not one character acted in a fashion that you would think given the character development as it were in the movie. Everybody did stuff that was stupid and out of character. I still can't figure out why anyone was after them in the first place. They just never explain it fully. Just a bunch of circumstances that don't fit together.

And the ending.... Don't get me started.

A poignant, beautifully-filmed story that is as much about male relationships as it is about crime. The subtle, yet gut-punch sociology in the writing is matched by the direction and the cinematography.** Having read about this film, and knowing it was produced on a micro-budget, this is a screenwriter and filmmaker who will soon have Hollywood knocking on his door. The skeptics and purists might notice the sacrifices made here and there due to budget constraints, but these sacrifices were wise choices that indicate a sharp use of resources. In reality, that this film is at the level it is considering what this team had in terms of financing, is indicative of genius behind the camera.

Saw this on TUBI, way above average! Great story, action, solid characters and dialogue, well worth watching. The setting and actors are very genuine throughout, everything really fits and more realistic and believable than many bigger budget features with better known actors. Director should get a shot to do more, would really love to see what could be done with a bigger budget, although this is clearly someone who can get things done on any level. It has great pacing and rolls out really well, there's usually a little more depth than I would initially think as things start going by. See it, you'll be happy!