Con Job

I've actually just opened an account for the sole purpose of leaving this review. I streamed it today on the off chance and to my surprise I haven't laughed so much during a film in ages. Seriously, my stomach hurt. Nobody's seen it and people really should, so I wanted to get behind it.

It's only got one review at this point! They gave it a seven and that's fine, but for me anything this funny has got to be a ten.

Yes, it's basically a one-set movie with about five characters and no budget, but so what. The performances are perfect (Aaron Berg as Jordan and T. L. Flint as Jeff were especially hysterical) and the script is a riot. Even the songs are great.

Yes there's a bit of typically American bodily-functions-based humour, but it's still less sophomoric than a lot of mainstream comedies now. Instead it's got that sort of off-colour vibe where the characters evidently exist in an alternate universe where everyone is absolutely nuts. In a vaguely similar vein the last comedies that killed me this much would have to be 2024's 'Rats!', directed by Carl Fry and Maxwell Nalevansky, or 2011's 'Father's Day' from the Astron 6 collective (also 2020's 'Psycho Goreman' from Astron associate Steven Kostanski is pretty great); 2019's equally obscure and very DIY 'Fuck You Immortality' from Federico Scargiali is also genius. Maybe Con Job isn't quite as deranged or inventive as those movies, it's a bit more conventional in plot and tone, but for me it might actually be more consistently hilarious. No movie is for everybody obviously, but this is one that hits exactly the marks that it's aiming for. See it! Support it!

Recently making its way onto Amazon to rent or buy, Ian Niles indie comedy Con Job is an above average example of independent filmmaking that overcomes its limited resources and budget to become one of the years funniest offerings and one that calls to mind early works of the likes of Kevin Smith and Kevin Linklater.

Directed and co-written by star/developer Ian Niles, who also pulls triple duties as the films main star, the selfish and money hungry Chris, Con Job takes place almost entirely within the confines of Chris's house as he and his best friend Angus plot a seemingly simple "con job" on their friend/brother Tim that will see them swindle him out of his family home and make Chris and Angus rich in the process.

As is the case with these type of ploys in both cinematic and real life, best laid plans of petty thieves and deceivers never seem to go entirely to plan and Con Job features an array of increasingly volatile events that ensure no one is escaping Niles's film with a squeaky clean record as his film ventures into that Death at a Funeral type mode where each instance is topped by the newest one as our collection of colourful characters get well and truly in over their heads.

A dialogue driven affair that appears to be at least partially improvised by its talented group of cast members lead by Niles and Menuhin Hart as his main accomplice Angus, not all jokes and situations within Con Job come off in the perfect way but its hit to miss ratio is neatly skewered towards the former with a scene stealing turn from T. L Flint as the aptly named Evil Jeff taking things up a major notch when he arrives on the scene to "help" Chris and Angus complete their nefarious task.

Unafraid to get seriously dark and take things into some twisted and inspired territories you won't initially be expecting the film to move towards, Niles ensures his latest effort behind and in front of the camera is one that offers up some unique takes on well-trodden formulas and gives its audience some unexpected delights to remember such as Aaron Berg's hyped up fitness freak Jordan, Julia Claire Schweitzer's plotting delivery driver Sarah and a hair piece that needs to be seen to be believed.

There's no question that what Con Job offers up is slight in the grand scheme of things but for a seemingly simplistic comedic set-up too milk so much out of what at first appears to be very little is a real win for all involved and in a landscape where notable comedic features are few and far between, Con Job offers up some hilarious entertainment that is sure to hit that sweet spot for anyone looking for some belly laughs and highly inappropriate hijinks.

Final Say -

A highly entertaining indie that overcomes many of its real and perceived limitations, Con Job is a successful black comedy with a movie-stealing turn from T. L Flint, making it well and truly worthy of tracking down next time you're in the market for an easily accessible comedy with a high hit rate of laughs.

3 1/2 questionable wigs out of 5

Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)