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First, the Recap:
The art of the deal. When people have something to gain, or lose, does it not seem there’s always another party who comes along, willing to offer an arrangement that should ideally benefit all those involved? However, when desperate times cause the one seeking answers to accept said arrangements with haste, then it’s the ramifications of said choice that can haunt them forever. Case in point–PTSD sufferer and heroin addict Doyle Burkett (Joseph A. Halsey). Each and every day, the decisions made are solely focused on how to get the next hit, the next fix, by whatever means necessary.
This day, though, Doyle awakens from a massive drug binge to find a new reality staring him in the face via Alexander (Sal Rendino), a shadowy, enigmatic figure who confronts Doyle with a startling revelation followed by a dark deal that would see Doyle helping turn the flow of an all-too-ancient conflict. Tasked with locating a specific object Alexander desires plus exacting some revenge on local crime boss/drug dealer Tommy Combs (Chris Cardona) and his crew thanks to a screw-up made by close friend and fellow junkie Faz (Nicole Vogt-Lowell), Doyle soon learns that some deals may or may not be worth the actual cost.
Next, my Mind:
With their 18-minute short film project, director/co-producer/cinematographer/editor Steve Sage Goldberg and writer/co-producer Lee Kolinsky certainly present an unapologetically intense journey into the edgy world of drugs and addiction infused with a supernatural bend that twists the narrative into a more heady exposé about the fine line between redemption and damnation. An unflinching look at how one man’s self-destructive tendencies not only impact himself but those closest to him as well, the plot marches forward in placing Doyle squarely in the midst of the consequences of said actions while being provided the means to have a “second chance”, all despite the wariness of demeanor towards his would-be benefactor. Once acute realization of his predicament comes to light in the unsettling aftermath of carrying out his “mission” however, it is only then that Doyle must truly choose what side of an unenviable equation he will end up on. Harsh in its language and brutal in its visual depictions of the circles in which Doyle inhabits, it’s one ominous yet strangely absolving tale that unfolds for the viewer.
Halsey turns in one gutsy and vigorous performance in his portrayal of Doyle, a man already on the constant edge thanks to his PTSD, whose fallen to heroin as his escape, even though he watches as it slowly destroys him and others. His need for a fix finally catches up with him in the most devastating way, leading Doyle to the encounter with an arcane “supporter” who offers up the chance to rectify multiple situations along with completing his own mysterious agenda that far surpasses human understanding. Rendino likewise presents a wonderfully enacted role as Alexander, Doyle’s calm yet undeniably menacing “savior”, whose diabolical manner and cunning proposal hides an even more sinister truth about his origin, very nature, and agendas. This provides the story with its otherworldly facet and Faustian moral, with Rendino’s rendering of the character so perfectly painting the haunting portrait of one with whom deals don’t often pan out as offered.
Supporting turns are provided in fine fashion by Vogt-Lowell as Doyle’s ill-fated partner in addiction Faz and Cardona as Tommy, the unscrupulous head of the drug world Doyle is mixed up in, along with Myles Humphus, John Celentano, Robert Helmers, and Frank Fileti as Tommy’s associates/henchmen, David Gilligan, Sean Randazzo, and Chris Ebert as EMTs, Judy San Roman, Pamela Berke, and Cheryl Martin as other junkies, plus Alan Scott as a random guy. In total, “Junkie Heaven” is a firmly executed indie film effort that puts its sobering themes of good vs. evil in the forefront, allowing the primary characters the chance to face the ramifications of previous choices, have the opportunity to set things right, but still have to accept the realities created from the situations at hand with at least the hope of peace and, perhaps, long-lasting salvation.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
