Too late

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Movie
Original title Too late
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 2015
length 107 minutes
Rod
Director Dennis Hauck
script Dennis Hauck
production Alexandra Barreto ,
John Taylor Feltner ,
Dennis Hauck
music Robert Allaire
camera Bill Fernandez
cut David Heinz
occupation

Too Late is a 2015 independent drama directed and scripted by Dennis Hauck . The film consists of five scenes, each about 20 minutes long, each shot in a single shot on 35 mm film .

action

Stripper Dorothy calls private investigator Mel Sampson from a park in Los Angeles. To do this, she uses the phone of two drug dealers whom she accidentally meets there, and from whom she also takes an ecstasy pill. While waiting for Sampson, she meets the alleged park ranger Skippy, who first flirts with her and then strangles her. The two drug dealers find her body and flee, believing that their ecstasy killed them.

Three days later, Dorothy's grandmother, who found his number in Dorothy's address book, instructs Sampson to investigate the sudden disappearance of her granddaughter. Dorothy's mother Mary, on the other hand, does not believe that anything has happened to her daughter. She tries to seduce Sampson. He confesses to her that he is the one who impregnated her 21 years ago at a one-night stand - Dorothy's father. He also reports that Dorothy asked for his help and that he eventually found her body but prevented her from being identified. In this way, undisturbed by the police, he was able to find the murderers whom he now wants to kill. Mary throws him out of the hotel where they met. As he leaves, the two drug dealers lie in wait for him, who fear that he might incriminate them. They shoot him in the chest and run away again, but Sampson survives.

Sampson discovered that Dorothy was trying to blackmail her boss Gordy after finding photos showing him cheating. This commissioned Skippy with the murder. When Sampson goes to Gordy in his villa to strangle him in turn, a jealous scene occurs and Gordy's wife shoots Gordy, Skippy's father, who happens to be present, and finally himself.

Sampson had met Dorothy, whom he had observed over and over again, at the strip club three years ago, and had become friends with her. As he later says, he wanted to reveal himself as her father, but couldn't find the right words. He never met her again, but began a year-long relationship with her colleague Jilly Bean. He meets Jill at the drive-in theater where he plans to arrest Skippy to hand him over to the police. In conversation with Jill, he learns that she also planned to blackmail Gordy, but then lost the incriminating photos. Just before they want to arrest Skippy together, they kiss. Sampson is unable to concentrate during the arrest and is overpowered and shot by Skippy.

production

The five acts of the film were shot over two years by five different crews, each in a sequence . In the last act there is a cut to skip an elevator ride. No hidden cuts were used. However, the film once shows an additional camera perspective via split screen , and immediately before the end the setting for the fade-in of some photos is interrupted. Otherwise, the change between different locations and perspectives takes place via extensive camera pans, zooms and steadicam drives.

The scenes of the film are not played in chronological order, without this being immediately apparent. The viewer only learns at the end that Sampson is Dorothy's father.

The song Down With Mary , which Sampson plays for Dorothy and the musician Sally Jaye in the bar, was written by actor John Hawkes himself. The debut director Dennis Hauck had written the role for him and revised the script until Hawkes finally agreed to participate in the film.

The film premiered on June 11, 2015 at the Los Angeles Film Festival. From March 18, 2016, it was shown in some American cinemas with 35-millimeter projectors. According to the industry service Box Office Mojo , the film was not shown in more than seven cinemas at the same time, and grossed about 60,000 dollars in total. Hauck's short film Sunday Punch from 2010, in which Dichen Lachman (“Jilly Bean”) played the leading role, was to be shown afterwards at individual performances .

reception

The film's critics placed this in the film noir genre and often found strong ties to directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Robert Altman , but they are divided on whether Hauck lives up to his role models. The Los Angeles Times sees the film as "an idiosyncratic masterpiece that echoes the style of filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, Robert Altman, and even 'Welcome to LA's Alan Rudolph , while amusingly honoring classic detective film motifs." Raffi Asdourian states that " while there is definitely the fetishization of dialogue, characters, and even Tarantino-style narration, Too Late does an admirable job of paying tribute to this method while also bringing in the flavor of something new ”. According to the Seattle Times, however, the script was "full of surprises, twists and backward stories of the kind that Quentin Tarantino proved to be a master at," reminiscent of Hitchcock's cocktail for a corpse , Altman's The Player and the "new champion of this Category ”, Russian Ark , but the results are“ uneven ”. Will Ashton also states that it is “one of those film imitations that always risk jeopardizing their own potential by basking in the shadows of their predecessors. And he may actually stay a little too close to these films - from Jackie Brown to Boogie Nights to Goodfellas - to really stand out, or to become more than an elusive, occasionally moody wannabe. "The film is" certainly a free rider , but a damn good one - a crisp neo-noir film that knows exactly what it wants to be, even if Hauck's narrative is not nearly as strong as its technical display. Proud to be a godly film that never cuts the curve, Too Late doesn't have the stamina of its influences, but it definitely makes an impression. "

The most discussed aspects of the film are the implementation of the planned sequences and the non-chronological sequence of scenes, which split the critics into two camps. Gary Goldstein sees that "Hauck, with the great help of Bill Fernandez 'clever, well-modulated Techniscope recordings, impressively choreographs the film's sequences with a good balance between intimacy and breadth". The Variety recognizes a "small miracle of complex stage directions and camera movements" in each segment. Alex Williams also sees "breathtakingly composed and executed camera work" as the greatest strength of the film, which meets the technical challenges of "immense self-confidence and precision". "The opening sequence of the film is an incredible challenge, juggling half a dozen cast members and requiring Hawkes' character to be spotted on a skyscraper a mile away." According to Michael Nordine, the extreme zoom in the scene in which the park is zoomed in to Sampson's apartment is “both low-fi and virtuoso, the kind of shot that the filmmaker can imagine long ago dreamed of actually writing the script ”. These technical gimmicks are not the only selling point of the film, according to Ain't It Cool News, "they are the decoration that turn an already special film into something very unique". On the other hand, Robert Abele generally admires Bill Fernandez's “bravura piece of the one-take choreography”, but also sees it as the central problem of a technical experiment like Too Late : “Even meta bravado needs a break now and then. [...] But when things calm down and the performances are accentuated, Hauck finds an appealing balance between the sparkling clash of strangers and the fate traps that are so common in the noir genre, and why an uninterrupted recording can be such an exciting way to convey that. ”Glenn Kenny also finds words of praise for Bill Fernandez, who“ does a great job of capturing a color palette that evokes the seventies exploitation cinema on 35 mm ”, but sees his result as“ very trying "And" obliged to pans and zooms with ridiculous length ". Even “after breaking his leg, he still feels obliged to use split screens every now and then. You think, 'Good God, man, take a break and just make a cut!' ”The Hollywood Reporter doesn't criticize the quality of the recordings, but asks“ Do the impressive camera acrobatics and the puzzle structure enrich the storytelling or do they just add a more complicated one Add layers to a so-la-la narrative? Where the story is a vague and unconvincing crime thriller, the answer is a bit of both. "

Many other critics also found clear weaknesses in the narration and dialogues. Does the Hollywood Reporter also state that the dialogues that "give thumpers and dolls a poetic spin" could be "exceptionally astute [...] or painfully mischievous" and with Will Ashton, "the plot is undoubtedly sloppy, but she knows it", other reviews of the film are less benevolent here. Matt Shiverdecker compares it with the look of the film: “The long takes and tracking shots can be distracting, but not as much as the dialogues” According to Glenn Kenny, “Dennis Hauck's deliberately Tarantinoesque dialog is not only too often like a film school, but too often self-referential and comparative to literature ". The Variety assumes that the dialogues would work “if 'Too Late' were a complete neo-noir abstraction without any ambitions for psychological and narrative credibility,” but this is not the case: “Hauck often simply strives for that that is the most attention-grabbing absurdity, be it a high-profile cliché or abrupt heart-on-the-tongue honesty ”. Katie Rife blames Hauck's Tarantino bonds for weaknesses in the script: “Like many Tarantino wannabes, he tries too hard. As a result, although the cast seems brave, only Hawkes can pull off the affected, pop-culture-referenced dialogue really convincingly ”. Slant Magazine also sees opportunities as lost: “But Hauck, in his slavish devotion to Tarantino, falls back on the scrambling of the chronology of history and thus transforms it into the mystery of the precise connection between Sampson and Dorothy. Even the great revelation of the film, which is supposed to complicate our impression of Sampson as a solid rock, does not suffice to dispel the suspicion that all of Hauck's narrative confusions are little more than a superficial ruse to spice up a clichéd fairy tale of salvation ”. But there are also explicit dissenting votes to the aforementioned critics about the script. "So the dialogues are written flawlessly, the whole script is of an impressively simple elegance, kept simple, but incredibly effective and fantastically implemented" writes Maik Hahn. Ain't It Cool News sees the strengths of Billy Wilder , the Coen brothers and Preston Sturges bundled in the script , “but it feels new and pulsates with energy and esprit. Hauck doesn't just stand on the shoulders of giants - he marks his own ground ”. Another review of the same publication sees the film as a "complex character study" and one of the special strengths in the clever writing, in addition to the acting performance of John Hawkes.

In the reviews there are generally words of praise for Hawkes (Shiverdecker: "Hawkes raises the occasionally weak but ambitious script with a brilliant performance", Kenny: "The always fantastic Hawkes does a great job of creating a character, the four fifths of Philip Marlowe and one-fifth of Jeff Lebowski is "Hahn:" a lot of these graceful dignity which radiates the whole film, falls back to John Hawkes, the Mel Sampson does his with so much tender melancholy, making it a true joy is to watch him in every scene ", Williams:" John Hawkes is a constantly underrated actor, but his fervent, angry approach here is nothing short of remarkable. Hawkes holds the film together gracefully "), less often for those of the other actors (New York Times: " Robert Foster , as a club owner, plays the role extra-grumpy. His only scene [...] is intense and has the perfect tempo," Willia ms: "As a supporting actress, Crystal Reed brings a painful sweetness to Dorothy that lifts her above the typical archetype of the stripper with a heart of gold, and Dichen Lachman is delightful to be one of Dorothy's colleagues"). It is even emphasized several times that the moments in which Hawkes cannot be seen clearly fall away from the others. Raffi Asdourian writes: “Only when we really meet our central protagonist [...] does the film switch to a more balanced rhythm with a little size. This fabulous notion from indie darling Hawkes is the glue that holds the separate scenes together. His frankness, his humor and his heartfelt emotions keep you connected to the emotional worlds of the characters as the mystery continues to unwind with every change of film role. It's a shame that many of the other characters, mostly the female ones, appear monotonous and often exploited. "Likewise, the Seattle Times and Will Ashton, who both also highlight other actors:" Almost every scene with Hawkes is lively and satisfyingly theatrical. You can feel his absence when he's not there, although Joanna Cassidy , Crystal Reed and Robert Forster all have their moments ”and“ What the film lacks in originality, it almost always makes up for with a polished flair. But Too Late leaves us a little cold at times - and luckily this is where acting comes in. Watching Hawkes is a pleasure, he fits his figure like a well-worn glove and [...] is the battered heart and soul of the film. Whenever he cannot be seen, his absence can be felt, but Reed, Joanna Cassidy, Vail Bloom , Natalie Zea and Brett Jacobsen all bring in impressive performances on their own ”.

For most of the critics, the film made a rather positive overall impression, so that Rotten Tomatoes got a rating of 70% and Metacritic an average rating of 54%. The film is "a really impressive debut" (Fred Topel) and "a deeply human and captivatingly styled recording of pure cinematic euphoria" (Williams). Despite his weaknesses, Ken Jaworowski “couldn't avoid loving almost every moment of the film,” and David Lewis also concludes, “The puzzle pieces of Hauck's brain teaser don't always fit together perfectly, but it cannot be denied that they are downright contagious Is funny". Matt Shiverdecker recommends the film simply because it "is a recourse to the indie films of the 1990s that we don't see often" and awards bonus points for an atmospheric soundtrack. Among the more subdued voices are comments like “Undeniably daring but so hard-boiled it's overcooked” (The Hollywood Reporter) and “Too Late” works better as an exercise in style than as an engaging drama, even if a fervent performance by John Hawkes does gets quite far ”(Sean P. Means). Leah Pickett analyzes: "This remarkable debut film, a stylish mix of classic film noir and New Hollywood pulp, may scare mainstream viewers with its affected drama and offbeat pace, but cinema buffs will be delighted." Will Ashton's conclusion: “Too Late runs the risk of being a little too complacent and confident, and that often bites his ass. Its size is excessive, but it serves a purpose. Although it is not quite the masterpiece it wants to be, it successfully makes a remarkable impression ”.

Awards

The film won the Twin Cities Film Fest's Breakthrough Achievement Award and was nominated for awards at the Los Angeles Film Festival and the Oldenburg Film Festival in the same year, and the song Down With Mary for the 2016 Hollywood Music In Media Awards.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Mark Olsen: LA Film Festival: John Hawkes in unusual detective tale 'Too Late' . Los Angeles Times, June 13, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  2. ↑ Papa Vinyard: LAFF '15: Vinyard talks TOO LATE, INSIDE AMY SCHUMER, and EVEREST with John Hawkes! . Ain't It Cool News, June 18, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  3. ↑ boxofficemojo.com: Too Late (2016) . Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  4. ↑ toolatemovie.com . Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  5. ↑ a b Gary Goldstein: Review: 'Too Late' a bold take on detective genre . Los Angeles Times, March 18, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  6. ↑ a b Raffi Asdourian: Too Late . The Film Stage, October 10, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  7. ↑ a b John Hartl: 'Too Late': Strong acting boosts twisty, uneven detective story . The Seattle Times, April 14, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  8. ↑ a b c d Will Ashton: Too Late Review . We Got This Covered, April 27, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  9. ^ A b Dennis Harvey: "Too Late"; Review: Dennis Hauck's 35 mm stunt . Variety, March 29, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  10. ↑ a b c d Alex Williams: LAFF 2015: Too Late is pure cinematic euphoria . June 24, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  11. ↑ Michael Nordine: With Noir Sizzle and Epic Long Takes, Dazzling Debut 'Too Late' Arrives Just in Time . The Village Voice, March 30, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  12. ↑ a b Massawyrm: Massawyrm returns and is ... of course ... TOO LATE !!! . Ain't It Cool News, October 7, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  13. ↑ Robert Abele: 'Too Late' Review: John Hawkes Guides Us Through a Flashy, Scattershot LA Noir . The Wrap, March 16, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  14. ↑ a b c Glenn Kenny: Too Late . rogerebert.com, March 18, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  15. ↑ a b c Sheri Linden: 'Too Late': LAFF Review . The Hollywood Reporter, June 15, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  16. ↑ a b c Matt Shiverdecker: Fantastic Fest 2015: “Too Late” screens in glorious 35mm . Austin360, September 27, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  17. ↑ Katie Rife: For better and worse, the gumshoe drama Too Late is a genre throwback . AV Club, March 17, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  18. ↑ Kenji Fujishima: Too Late . Slant Magazine, March 28, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  19. ↑ a b Maik Hahn: Too Late . Screen incident, December 11, 2016. Accessed January 7, 2017.
  20. ↑ Nordling: Nordling Reviews TOO LATE! . Ain't It Cool News, September 26, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  21. ↑ a b Ken Jaworowski: Review: In 'Too Late,' Imitation Is Sincere Flattery . The New York Times, March 31, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  22. ^ Metacritic : Too Late . Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  23. ↑ Rotten Tomatoes : Too Late . Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  24. ↑ Fred Topel: LAFF 2015 Review: 'Too Late' is Too Great . Crave, June 12, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  25. ↑ David Lewis: 'Too Late': Detective film is rambunctious fun . SFGate, April 7, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  26. ↑ Sean P. Means: Movie review: 'Too Late' serves detective noir in long takes . The Salt Lake Tribune, May 12, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  27. ↑ Leah Pickett: Too Late . Chicago Reader, undated. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  28. ↑ imdb.com: Too Late Awards . Retrieved January 7, 2017.