Written by: Adam Leon (screenplay), Adam Leon &Jamund Washington (story by)
Directed by: Adam Leon
Starring: Callum Turner, Grace Van Patten, Michal Vondel, Mike Birbiglia
Rated: TV-MA
Plot
A stolen briefcase and a case of mistaken identity provides the chance for attraction between two aspiring criminals in New York.
Danny is tasked by his brother to make an exchange, but Danny swaps the wrong bag.
Verdict
If anything it's too vague. That in itself isn't bad. I don't need to know what's in the bag, but I do need to know the stakes. This basic questions seems like a constraint problem. While this is an indie at it's core and the actors did a fine job, it lacks the punchy dialog to really set it apart. Instead of sharp dialog, a heist was introduced instead.
It depends.
Review
This has a simple setup. Danny has to make an exchange on behalf of his brother. This is the end result of an elaborate robbery with his driver Ellie. I don't know why it takes two people to grab the bag, but that is the foundation for the rest of the movie. Danny switches the wrong bag, and he and Ellie must track it down.
Danny and Ellie are thrown together due to their situation. They aren't people that would normally interact. He's the good natured idiot and she's street tough and jaded. He's chatty and curious, but she rebukes his attempts at conversation. She's there for one thing, money. It's clear he likes her, but she's having none of it.
Without knowing the stakes, I wasn't sure what the retribution for losing the bag would be. What's going to happen to Danny or his brother? We're only talking about a few grand. There's some back and forth over shares for the robbery and who will get what. That seems to be the only reason Danny or Ellie care about retrieving the bag.
This definitely has an indie feel with a focus on the city and the characters. This is a bit of Before Sunrise (1995) combined with a crime caper. It's cute, but I wanted it to do more.
