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The actors deliver riotously deadpan performances, like a rather deranged mash-up of The Office and CSI. Cornack plays Chip as such a sad sack that he's never particularly sympathetic, but his internal issues make him oddly compelling. And his connection with Rice's amusingly gruff detective holds the interest, especially as they begin a somewhat nutty cat-and-mouse game. The best line is delivered utterly straight-faced by Potts, as the jaded police chief puts the premise into squirm-inducing words.

Cornack and Koch's audaciously bone-dry approach to this set-up sometimes feels like it's stretching out the high concept far further than it can go. But they push it anyway, gleefully taking a crazy idea to the next level. And then some. There are deeper darker themes swirling around in here, including marriage, addiction and vengeance issues, but the filmmakers leave those things unexplored on the sideline. That said, where this movie goes is both appalling and entertaining, in a properly guilty pleasure sort of way.

themes, language, violence, sexuality

1.Apr.20

It helps that performances have a grounded, offhanded quality that makes them feel engagingly realistic, even in the nuttier moments. As an actor, Roberti has an adorably soulful, hang-dog persona, so James drags himself through his daily life without much interest, until he gets drunk. Glanz is terrific at throwing away jaggedly funny dialog, making her ruthless maneater remarkably likeable as she finds someone she can be herself with.

There's a lovely running gag as James continually comments that this is a golden age, offering hints about the future. And even though the general idea is bonkers, there's a lovely bittersweet undercurrent as James struggles with what he knows and what he must do. This at least adds some thematic resonance to what is otherwise a goofy bit of fluffy amusement. So there's plenty to keep us smiling as we wait for the other shoes to drop. And there are some surprising twists in the tale.

themes, language, sexuality, violence

5.Apr.20

The acting is also uneven. Fuhrman is likeable and grounded as a young woman struggling to make it as an actor. Although she seems too intelligent to be this naive. By contrast, Mudd turns Rosa into a bizarrely camp figure in a supervillain costume, the kind of person who would scare anyone off, which in the real world would badly undermine her secret mission. Meanwhile, Bishara bravely bridges both worlds, giving a remarkably nuanced turn as a super nice guy who might actually be a monster.

Kampmeier is clearly on a mission, zeroing in on predatory men who use the casting process to take advantage of actresses. Of course this is about control and dominance, not sex. So it's somewhat frustrating that Kampmeier's filmmaking is rather undisciplined, adding in material she thought was vital while neglecting the audience. This unfocussed approach adds some complexity, but it also draws attention to how she shies away from the one thing that might equalise this story and drive the point home without preaching. Still, it's a clever approach to a vitally important topic.

themes, language, violence, sexuality

1.Apr.20