Directed by: J. Bradley Bruening
Starring: Waine Weeks, Steve Daron, Todd Bruno, Raquel Merediz, Sergio Vigano
Ever watch a movie and, when it's over, you almost forget that you had just watched it? Enter 'Callous', a film that has good actors, is shot and edited better than most movies I review here, but is so unoriginal and uninspired that, if I didn't have to review it, I probably would have forgotten I saw it. I know that sounds harsh; while I say these things, I don't think the film as a whole is bad. The story is just so “been there done that,” and I didn't even care about one character, so I just feel really indifferent about it all.
The film starts with two enforcer types, Joe and Neil, (Daron and Bruno) discussing how they plan on recovering the half of a million dollars that Neil had lost in a corporate investment scheme. After accidentally killing one of the guys responsible, their sights turn to his partner, Victor (Vigano), who has fallen on hard times and now must come up with money he no longer has. The usual “bring us the money and you better be alone” meeting is set up, but Victor’s close friend, assistant D.A. Will (Weeks), is desperate to help his friend and hides in the car. The meeting quickly becomes bloody when it is realized that Victor couldn’t get the full amount in time. The film then enters a game of, "Ah ha! I have more leverage now!” while it also tries to muddy the waters on who the victim in the whole situation really is.
The actors are all good to pretty good, acting wise, because I think in the entire film, there is only one truly good character, but that is only because his morals as a friend and a man of the courts would rot him inside out if he didn't come clean with all the blood on his hands. Usually, the types of strong arm guys in this movie are what I love about revenge films, but they don't have anything colorful or entertaining about them. They just yell and are violent, which I realize sounds more true to life, but to me is less entertaining.
The film finds a good cast and has the potential for a worthwhile story that could draw people into the characters’ darkness, but because it never establishes anyone to really root for or anyone that is halfway likable, it is probably destined to be forgotten.
3/10
Andy Comer