A Netflix viewing while in Baltimore on August 2nd. This is a small independent black comedy is brought to you by indie producers, the Duplass Brothers. The film debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 25th then saw a limited theater and internet release on May 5th. Pat Healy directs and stars as Ray, a small business owner who's down on his luck. His business you ask? Simulated abductions.
Ray's business is dying and he has about $7 in his bank account. He's pretty much looked on as a loser by his sister and her family but he believes in his business and he's dedicated to it. Ray gets a call from a woman who wants to use his services. Not for the the standard 8 hours but a entire weekend and she's willing to pay. Ray then stalks her and eventually strikes. He concocts an elaborate scenario and holds Anna (Taylor Schilling) in his basement. Anna appears to play along but when her name is mentioned on a police scanner, Ray starts to worry. After she stabs him, the cops show up at his house because her neighbor recognized his van.
Ray's home is compromised and he moves Anna to his family's vacation home in the mountains. Anna starts to get into Ray's head as she finds out why he got divorced and how his once flourishing business failed. Eventually Anna turns the table on Ray and forces him into the trunk of her car and drives back to LA.
Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 68% rating and that score seems a little low but not by much. Healy does a nice job with the pace of the film and the dynamic between Ray and Anna is good. The ending is a bit of a twist but it fits with the direction the film went in. Healy shows good range as he goes from confident professional fake kidnapper to panicked amateur to broken hostage. Schilling is equally good as a damsel in distress who turns femme fatale. Good dialogue between the characters. A decent small film that's worth watching.
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