Disrupted is a gritty, violent, crime thriller set in the Bay Area, CA, featuring San Francisco and Oakland in particular. Living in the Bay Area for over 20 years myself, it was a joy seeing so many familiar places. Writer, Director, and Cinematographer Andre Welsh tells an intricate story with separate threads, each plot line having it's own distinct goals. Over the course of the movie, connections between these threads are formed or revealed, creating a very well structured narrative. Every scene had purpose and a goal relevant to the plot.
Ron Kaell plays Pete, a former convict, alcoholic widower trying to survive by legitimate means in an area with increasing living costs and fewer opportunities for someone his age and with his background. Gentrification is a theme in this picture, highlighting how not only people of color can be affected, but also seniors or people with history in the penal system. The villain (Geoffery Lower), a sociopath with an affinity for brass knuckles, seems to have everything he could ever want but doesn't care about any of it. Despite the heavy themes and mostly dark tone of the film, it was funny in all the right places. The scene where two black criminals talk about camouflage for San Francisco cops had me belly laughing.
I saw this film at the Cinequest 2020 premiere and I have to say it was my favorite film of the festival. Watch this one if you like Coen Brother flicks!
