WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
The unhinged proclivities of a disquieted, turbulent mind. Look around a world that is desperate to heal itself, to be rid of the hate and malice consuming every inch of its being and within it resides those who would wish to see it all burn. Unwilling to succumb to what they see as “convention”, the goal is to perpetrate as much chaos as possible while presenting an outward demeanor that defies their real intent. Can anyone stop such overt yet veiled evil? Best friends Amanda (Kaiti Wallen) and Mindy (Jessika Johnson) tend bar at a local watering hole frequented by a highly arrogant Senator’s son, Justin Stevens (Kris Reilly), and his friend Daniel (Dennis Marin). Invited to Justin’s place for a little post-work afterparty, dark desires and nefarious objectives boil to the surface, leading to a shocking outcome, and causing Amanda to turn to her convict father Max (Tom Sizemore) for justice in a sphere of corruption and a chance that none of them might make it out the other side alive.
Next, my Mind:
Cover-ups, dirty politicians, the depravity of a warped mentality, the dangerous potency of revenge, and an ultimate crusade for hardline justice all share the spotlight over the course of this 117-minute crime-centric thriller from writer/director/producer Harley Wallen, producer Nancy Oeswein, and executive producers Annette Cama and Nick Sarelli. Delivered with a definitively no-holds-barred intensity, gritty atmosphere, and eerily realistic sense and manner that echoes stories we’ve seen on the news about the politics of criminality among the elite, the overall pacing and engagement factor here was far more present for this critic than another recent effort I had seen from Wallen & Co., “The Eternal Code”. Additionally, the utilization of smart casting of key roles very much captured me, greatly assisting with the film’s narrative aim and thematic purposes.
Shining a light on the means by which the rich and powerful premeditate shady deeds and deals with such efficiency that they seem untouchable to any form of actual justice, the film does a solid job at portraying this initially and then keeps the viewer immersed in the realms of those shadowy tones all the way through while also placing an emphasis on exactly how those who are victimized by such individuals seem only able to stagger back and watch their lives be one hundred percent ruined forever. Yet, regardless of who we are as human beings, there’s always that side of us that just LONGS to see absolutely nasty people get their due. But, whether that happens here by the film’s finale is decidedly left to conjecture, taking certain twists and turns that leave you wondering whether evil will be put down by good or might it be vice versa. Watch and find out!
It baffles the mind to realize that villains as are projected actually exist in real life, and perhaps that’s the key take away here and which makes the film more impactful as its underlying, scary, foundational concept to ponder while witnessing events unfold. When even the law may not be trustworthy, that’s another facet that makes films of this genre and style effective, and was pulled off well. The flow and visual presentation felt a lot more professional overall for me too, and anyone who appreciates the grander efforts it takes to even create a film, much less in the indie community, it allows for any perceived “shaky” aspects of the production to be appreciated for what they are while acknowledging the heart, passion, and persistent mindset it takes to be willing to put something out there for the public to judge that doesn’t have a hundred million behind it or star Tom Hanks.
Reilly really stands out in a particular performance that just oozes deliciously vile cockiness, menace, and “I absolutely love to hate this guy!” mentality through the character he plays, Justin, a spoiled rich boy whose father is a powerful Senator and who’s worn out his welcome with pretty much everyone except his best friend Daniel. A womanizer yet devilish misogynist, Justin devises a plan that goes horribly awry for the young woman on the receiving end, and soon he is forced to try and get away with it, using every possible means to ensure he does along the way, no matter who pays the price. As indicated above, it’s undeniably a fantastically executed “guy I love to loathe, despise, etc” performance, and Reilly chews up scenery every time the character appears with beautifully presented gusto and apropos ominousness that keeps your attention the entire way.
It’s equally great to see Sizemore maintaining constant work, as the actor is not just a veteran of the Hollywood-based machine, he’s just darn good at playing the anti-hero (at least when not playing a snarling villian himself!) and he carries it off here as Max, Amanda’s father who has a past of his own he’s paid the price for. Now out to defend his daughter and make things right, he’s by no means a “good guy”, but in the context of this tale, he’s about as close as we’re going to get, with Sizemore’s trademark bravado and focused vigor on full display. Seeing the beloved “Mr. Belding” as a completely unscrupulous Senator was quite a shift in character perspective, but it works thanks to another veteran, Dennis Haskins, bringing it to life wonderfully as Senator Stevens, a man caught between his own bad dealings and connections plus a son who’s out of control. How he will rectify this will define even more who he is–and whether he makes it out of the mess unscathed to slither away towards another day. Haskins is simply perfect in the role.
Kaiti Wallen embodies the victimized Amanda with believability that makes you empathize with the character’s plight. Johnson delivers a totally solid turn as Mindy, an unfortunate victim of Justin’s nasty habits that sets off a chain of escalating and violent events. Harley Wallen exudes his own form of intimidation as Detective Caldwell, who may or may not be on the legal level shall we say. Jesi Jensen is Jess, a close friend of Mindy and Amanda who gets swept up in the turmoil. Marin plays Daniel, Justin’s friend who starts to realize he may be in over his head. A wealth of other primary supporting characters arrive courtesy of deservedly fine turns from Colleen Gentry, Angelina Danielle Cama, Jerry Hayes, Joe Piazza, Henry Frost III, Mo El-Zaatari, Nick Sarelli, Destiny Hughbanks, and Kimberly Alley among many others.
In total, “Abstruse” stands firmly on its own merits and is more than worth a watch if you’re willing to put aside any pre-conceived negativity about the very essence of what makes the indie genre what it is. Embrace what the filmmakers are striving to achieve, deploying every tool they have access to in order to create entertainment on a much more realistic, unvarnished level that proves a love for the art of cinema that so often has been lost in the halls of overblown Hollywood budgets, appealing to only the masses, and bottom lines.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
I’m pretty high on this film. Wallen is becoming an interesting voice.