Published in: Indie Film Reviews

Indie Film Review “Lost Angelas”

Author OneFilmFan

Published on: April 9, 2019

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE

First, the Recap:

A fabrication of reality and layers of truth vs. lies. What is it to be hounded, haunted, emotionally debilitated by recollections of events not understood, almost as if experiencing constant bouts of anamnesis. For when we believe we’ve done something good, with the best possible intentions in mind, in the name of protecting someone else we cherish, what if it all isn’t what it seems and our grasp of actuality has been a falsehood the entire time? For a struggling screenwriter named Jake (William Wayne), this is all painfully vivid as he faces the wrath of henchmen in the employ of one Vince Rose (David Proval), accused of knowing more than he fathoms he does about Vince’s missing daughter, Angela (Korrina Rico)

Stemming from involvement with said aspiring Hollywood star actress, whom he had fallen madly in love with but then faltered at keeping in a stable, viable relationship, Jake has now found himself at the center of interest in her mysterious disappearance the night of a big awards show where Angela’s star was about to shine thanks to the seedy machinations of the her debut film’s director, Walt Warshaw (Jon Jacobs), with whom Jake has been at odds with for a multitude of reasons from the start. However, another enigma emerges when Jake discovers an unanticipated tie to a former movie icon, Angie Malone (Charlotte Lewis), who suffered a similar vanishing act thirty years prior.

Now, it’s up to Jake to navigate the dark underbelly of Hollywood to find the truth about his Angela. But, will he survive the backstabbing politics, dirty scandals, shady deals, his own tormented mind, and outright killer atmosphere that permeates the City of Angels and the film industry it so deeply embraces?

Next, my Mind:

When looking at the newest feature film effort from writer/director/producer/editor/actor William Wayne and writer Jen Zias, it brought to my mind the purposefully stark effectiveness of another particular film, Usher Morgan’s “Pickings”, in delivering a candid tone, intelligent execution, gritty intensity, dramatic flare, and the indie film industry’s needed character-centric focus that is then packaged into a neatly shot, impactful narrative about one desperate man’s attempts at navigating boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, girl-goes-missing, boy-gets-accused, boy-fights-for-redemption-before-losing-his-mind while immersed in the fast-paced, uncaring world of lecherous directors, wanna-be starlets, broken dreams, fleeting hopes, and mere glimpses of potentially brighter futures that is Wayne’s vision of Hollywood. While there are certain moments that lend themselves to the lighter elements of said description, make no mistake that the film intentionally allows the viewer to be introduced to the corrupt and disreputable world that entertainment can be. It perfectly fits the grander notions being addressed here, whether blatantly obvious or lurking underneath the surface, bringing the realities of exactly what a fickle, unrelenting, and hostile realm those entering into it to chase the stars or become one could, or will, face.

With minds changed on a dime when it comes to judging talent or possible aptitude, where getting to the top can most definitively mean sleeping your way there, plus having to endure egos run amok, face down back alley arrangements and grim associations that could spell disaster (even death!), notwithstanding striving to maintain one’s sanity, it’s all addressed here while adding into the mix a mystery from Jake’s past the directly impacts the central character’s journey with superb efficiency. Tack on the pokes at how overtly obsessed the press becomes with any possible scandal, needing to oversaturate the airwaves with the sheer “magnitude” of a given circumstance while also illustrating the scratch-and-claw mentality that it takes to survive “the game”, the story still discovers the means to fit in a truly stirring “believe in yourself, never back down, keep pushing forward, overcome the obstacles, find the truth, fight for love” mindset that doesn’t feel forced or melodramatic, and it gives the film’s finale that solid emotional, even uplifting, punch that is yearned after given this one poor man’s plight throughout the rest of the tale. This is classic-meets-contemporary noir in many respects, with thriller-based components infused into it along the way, and the smoothly shot cinematography that deftly envelops the multitude of shadowy situations, visual cues, and edgy attitudes supports this to a “T”.

Wayne certainly had his work cut out for him via wearing upwards of five “hats” in making this film, but he assuredly shines through with all of the aspects he had a hand in, not the least of which is the energetic, emotively striking nuances he brings to bear is his role as Jake, an everyman and aspiring screenwriter who comes to Hollywood and meets the girl of his dreams in Angela Rose, whom he soon realizes he needs to write a screenplay for. He has her complete affections beyond just the promise of allowing her the chance to make an acting debut, but soon Jake becomes swallowed up by the film’s unhinged director who promptly takes the wind out of Jake’s sails when it comes to the primary role originally guaranteed to Angela. With hearts broken and trust betrayed, Jake starts into a downward spiral in losing Angela, yet never wavers in his desire to win her back, which only gets him into more and more trouble. Still he tried to persevere, and in doing so, finds himself at the center of a surprising tie to a former Hollywood star from many years ago, sending him on a different odyssey while being harangued by Angela’s father and his thugs after she suddenly disappears and the circumstances behind it seem to point to him. Watching then as a mystery on multiple fronts unfolds is highly engaging and Wayne is truly amazing and utterly convincing in portraying the slow deconstruction of a man’s notions of truth, reality, and events out of his control–or were they?

Rico, likewise, brings to the table a solidly impassioned performance as the next integral character the story involves, Angela Rose, a young, vibrant, still-innocent, beautiful woman who’s arrived in Tinseltown to, of course, become a star actress.  She sees this dream as a much more feasible concept upon getting involved with Jake, who has expressed his intent to write a screenplay specifically with her in mind to play the lead part. Excited and totally enamored with Jake, Angela falls for him completely and their future together seems set. But, when situations arise that place all of that in jeopardy, her need to make it big takes over, and soon she is absorbed into the Hollywood machine for the sake of stardom, putting her at odds with Jake and the loss of that innocence he sees occurring. Riding high on newfound fame, Angela is really only a puppet to director Walt Warshaw, and being his little “plaything” is only something she seems to endure to further her career. When Jake makes moves to get her out from under Warshaw’s influence, it sets off a chain of incidents that may or may not have spelled her doom. Rico, with her winning smile, wonderfully embodies the wide-eyed wholesomeness then so-quickly-turned-jaded facets of Angela’s character, remaining a potent presence throughout the film.

Jacobs becomes yet another actor this critic can appreciate for playing a villain so awful so well, you’re absolutely loving to hate him, and there is no exception here in Jacob’s portrayal of Warshaw, a no-holds-barred cad of a film director who has no scruples, moral compass, or any true grasp of being human other than to further his own agendas and gain more attention to himself, despite being competent enough while in the chair (and even this might be disputable). Once he gains knowledge of Jake’s screenplay, it’s an immediate “we’ve got to meet. I love your work” meeting set-up that doesn’t initially take the turn Jake would have ever expected to be witness to, much less an involuntary part of. Yet, Jacob’s slick talk and overbearing manner keep Jake snared in his intentions, leading to the moments where he begins to teach Jake the real atmosphere and practices in Hollywood when it comes to casting and other aspects of filmmaking, managing to keep Jake on the hook with his own notions of the successes he could achieve. Yet, Jacobs wastes no time in becoming a target for Jake’s mentally unsettled wrath when it comes to Angela and just how used he’s made Jake feel, but it doesn’t deter the director from then throwing Jake under the bus when their mutual worlds finally collide in more ways than one. It’s an over-the-top rendition, and Jacob’s just nails it so perfectly.

Supporting roles and appearances are aplenty here and arrive from Proval as Angela’s father Vince, who has his own highly effective means to get at people he wants answers from, as Jake finds out in particular, Melissa Mars as actress Juliet Marquez, who has more than her fair share of things to say about and to the “noble” Jacobs, Lewis as Angie Malone, a highly pivotal character who changes the entire face of Jake’s perceptions about current events and his whole life, John Capodice as L.A. police detective Ed Robles, a man of purpose who’s also tied to Jake’s story and who more than desires to get the bottom of Angela’s disappearance,  Jane Crawley as Jake’s mother Sophie, whose background with Malone holds key factors in the present, John Aprea as Senator John Russell, whose involvement with Malone had devastating consequences, EmRey as Jacob’s assistant Barry, Ariel Archuleta as Holly Young, another actress fallen to Jacob’s “charms” and “promises”, and a host of others. In total, “Lost Angelas” is an entertaining ride on the crazy train with a heart at its core that beats to the drums of Hollywood dreams to be realized or dashed, love to be gained or lost, the past to be revealed or redeemed, and prosperity to be shared or shunned, all while painting a picture that asks the ever-present questions–what WOULD you do to find fame and is it really worth the cost of admission? Ready to sign up?

As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!