Shoot, The (2015)
Matt Boiselle
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Starring John Adams, Toby Poser, Sam Rodd
Directed by John Adams, Toby Poser
Over the course of cinematic history, I’d love to have a tally sheet that shows the number of both botched and successful heists because as sure as the sky is blue, something is usually bound to go HORRIBLY wrong. In The Shoot the audience sees not only a helpless view of the party responsible for the screwed-up robbery but also invasive views of each of its victims, all the while displaying it in a Tarantino-esque fashion – heavy on goofy dialogue with no set direction in the movie’s compass.
Tommy (Adams) and his girlfriend, Maddy (Poser), are hopelessly devoted to one another, and while Maddy’s profession as a fashion shoot assistant brings in some bucks, Tommy’s unemployed self merely roots himself at home and dreams of a floundering rock star lifestyle with his goofy pal Dougie (Rodd). As the bills continue to mount for Maddy and Tommy, and with a loan shark’s knee-breaker giving a one-week, $40,000 ultimatum to Tommy, to say that the situation is dire would be a massive understatement. One night Maddy speaks in casual conversation that the amount of expensive jewelry that is taken on a photo shoot is staggering, and considering that she already pilfered an expensive pair of shoes for a sleazy sexual encounter for herself and Tommy, the notion of a calculated rip-off wouldn’t be that far of a stretch.
So, what was passed off as another conversation by Maddy is taken very seriously by Tommy, who sees a simple theft of a photo shoot’s loot as a sure-fire way to get the heavies off his back and carve out a nice piece for himself and his squeeze. Now that the easier-than-pie framework has been laid out for Tommy and his at times unwilling accomplice, Dougie, does the trouble begin to snowball. As Maddie (who is fearing for her job after a new assistant has been hired) sets out with a full crew behind her into the desert for the next shoot, she is unaware that Tommy and Dougie are close behind, ready to strike. With a looney perfectionist photographer (Elad Ziv), two brainless models, and a slew of tag-alongs in tow, the prospect of a clean getaway seems very far off, and as fate would have it, no truer words could have been spoken. Donning a goofy unicorn mask and nylon yanked tightly over their heads with guns at the ready, both bumbling thieves wander into the desolate location and immediately screw up a seemingly stress-free robbery.
As casualties lay before them, we see a disintegration of the friendship between the two characters, unsure if they should cut and run or continue on with the “no witnesses” mentality, and as the latter choice wins out, the remainder of the film takes on a survivalist feel, mixed with some tense moments, and disgusting humor (think face-first hydration – YUCK).
While the movie does offer up some fairly humorous instances, the long stretches of dialogue and frayed conclusion bring it down a few notches for me. Adams, Rodd, and Poser each give honorable performances as the movie’s central troika, with concentrated looks at all of their emotions being desperation, passion, and hopelessness. If you can forgive mile-long trips down the dialogue highway with occasional laugh breaks, then The Shoot is a display worth at least a watch or two.
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Film
Categorized:Reviews
