Medias Res

Medias Res tells the story of Dave Meeks, a down on his luck salesman (some of the best early scenes involve him selling junk from the trunk of his car, and Dave's roommate/literal partner in crime Joe. What starts as some small hustles to make ends meet ends in betrayal and blood as Dave and Joe find themselves in the middle (in medias res, look at that!) of a drug-related kidnapping. As they peel back layer and layer of this story, they spiral closer to danger and death!

The story rests on the performances of its leads - Mike Delaney (also co-writer), Joseph Mason, and Sarah Coykendall. Delaney gives an especially earnest performance as the sappy, hapless Meeks. Mason is street tough when he needs to be, but also shows considerable vulnerability. And Coykendall excels as the siren who leads Meeks further and further into the criminal underworld.

Medias Res is funny, smart, intriguing, and a compelling piece of indie cinema. The production values are top notch and there are some really creative directorial choices (a grainy, washed out freeze frame was a particular favorite). Definitely give this movie a shot!

Being in the wrong place at the wrong time can change the rest of your life. This film takes you on this type of dark journey. A crime-drama/thriller on the surface and a subtle comedy beneath the surface, this nicely paced film continues to surprise all the way until it's unpredictable conclusion. The two leads have terrific chemistry and their entertaining performances kept me glued till the very end. Well done to every one involved.

Full of directorial spunk and earnest performances, this film scratches at some itches we don't see too often these days.

The story of Dave is at once triumphant and pitiful; he's an everyman whom we all can relate to in some way. Maybe we haven't lived out of our cars, or maybe we haven't been forced into doing weird drugs, but the sincerity Dave possesses during every stage of trying to get his life on the right track makes him an incredibly likable character. Quite simply, we want him to succeed (this is an element very important to me when judging a film. To be concise, the strength of a character is based on his/her complexity, and this film absolutely delivers in this category.).

Additionally, the vivid color palette is a welcome choice, harking back to oversaturated palettes of the late 1990s, and giving the film a refreshingly sleek look amidst a superabundance of modern filmmaking which only utilizes browns, oranges, and blues. Every frame of this film is set up to be interesting -- one particular standout sequence has such intensity and momentum that I actually said "wow" out loud. All of this is a direct result of filmmakers who have a clear vision and execute it well.

Quite honestly, the story could use a bit more focus at times, but that does not detract from the overall success of this film -- this is a group of artists who obviously care about their craft, and frankly, I am excited to see what their future projects have in store.

Medias Res is the kind of breezy, 90s/2000s indie crime caper that filmmakers just do not make nowadays. The world of Medias Res is that of a world with car thieves, drugs, television stars and hapless people trying to make their way. Star Mike Delaney cuts a sympathetic cloth as the put upon Dave and Sarah Coykendall is magnanimous as Summer. The film hypnotizes and adjusts you to its rhythm rather than vice versa. Highly recommended.

Media Res takes you on a journey with a couple of unlikely friends when they end up in the wrong place at the wrong time while just trying to survive their daily lives. This is a low budget film that manages to feel like it isn't low budget and that's not something that's easy to accomplish. The characters are interesting and the story is interwoven with subtle comedic elements, which helps lift some of the tension created by what the characters in the film are experiencing. And all of this is done expertly. The film takes a much darker turn that what I was expecting in the last act, but that's what makes this thriller so intriguing. Medias Res features a fresh storyline that you haven't seen before and it is executed skillfully to make this a true modern noir. I can't wait to see what these filmmakers do next.