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Dark Tomorrow (2002)
The best REAL indie that I have seen yet...
I was invited to the Premiere of Dark Tomorrow in Royal Oak, Mi. To be quite honest, I was dreading it in a way because, god knows, when an independent movie is bad....it really, REALLY sucks to have to sit through it. That being said...I was actually floored by how good it was.
******Possible spoilers to follow, read at your own risk******
The movie starts off with a bang by throwing you directly into the middle of a raucous Michigan State Spartan bash. It is hosted by the lead character, John Wesley. The music is blaring, the drinks are flowing and fights are brewing underneath the surface. John's girlfriend, Debbie, begins to feel sick, and John escorts her to the bathroom. They talk for awhile about their soon to be (she hopes anyway) wedding, and both of them end up passing out.
This is where the movie really begins: John wakes up the next morning, and his house is deserted. As he stumbles through each room, observing the copious damage to his home and artwork, his confusion over last night's events begin to settle in. He then turns on the television and sees a special report that nearly robs him of his sanity. According to the local anchorwoman, one year ago today he stabbed his girlfriend Debbie to death. He was subsequently convicted of murder and thrown in jail. In the strangest twist of all, the anchorwoman claims he escaped from jail the night before and a search is on to find and arrest him. Finally, John realizes to his horror that a news team is broadcasting live from right outside his front door.
From this point forward the movie is a relentless thriller. Wesley has to confront: his confusion, lack of memory, love for Debbie, his former best friend, Debbie's parents and bizarre moments of Deja Vu that may mean nothing, or they could mean his chance to rewrite history. All of this while running from a city-wide man hunt that is determined to find, and even kill him if need be. Wesley is rarely allowed to come up for air, and the audience isn't allowed to either.
Unlike other substandard films, don't look for a neat little summary and happy/fake resolution here. These filmmakers aren't going to pander to you. The ending will make you think, discuss, drink a little, smoke a little and then come back for a second viewing. It is a heart pounding joyride to behold, and even now my friends and I still discuss, and argue about, what happened in John Wesley's world on that fateful night.
The acting in this film is beautifully subtle. Chris Moller brings a depth and range to John Wesley that is dearly needed. In less capable hands, Wesley would come across as a psychotic loser. The movie really benefits by his understated and accomplished performance. Mike Merna's portrayal of Wesley's former best friend Joe Freeman has a kinetic energy and intelligence that makes you easily forget he is a supporting character. The enigmatic qualities Shaun Buckley(Corey) brings to his character, along with expressive eyes filled with thoughts impossible to read, adds an interestingly mysterious quality to all of his scenes. The sheer rage and feeling of helplessness that Lizzy Russell(Carol) and Alex Safi(Steve) add as Debbie's parents mourning her loss keeps the movie grounded in pathos and hardcore reality. Jahi Zuri as the town's police Captain is in turn frightening and funny with his righteous anger over his bungling police force, and their inability to catch a lone man on the loose. Rounding out the main cast is Jennifer Lester(Debbie). Her subtle portrayal, seen mostly in flashback, is a lesson in what an actor can do with a small role. Within a few short scenes we understand what a great loss it will be in Wesley's life that he may have to learn to live without her.
The technical aspects of Dark Tomorrow are also incredible, especially given the very limited budget. The movie looks very crisp and clean, and the lighting choices are excellently tailored to John Wesley's given circumstances and moods. The special effects are very impressive for an indie as well, as is the fight choreography. The only technical problems that I saw were some of the choices regarding sound. At times the music would drown out the dialogue, and sometimes there was music in places that didn't really seem to need it. This is an easy fix, however, and it didn't end up really detracting from what was otherwise an excellent film.
Last, but never least, I have to comment on the script and the direction, which were done by the same man. John Goins' script is solid and incredibly inventive. The dialogue rings very true, and he does a great job of keeping the audience on our toes without ever losing us. His direction of this movie is also superb. As many twists and turns as this movie has, under less capable hands it would have been a confusing mess. It is clear from the beginning of the movie that he has a strong vision, and his vision carried me through to the climatic ending.
So, all in all, I can't recommend Dark Tomorrow enough. There are many "independent" films being pumped out every day. Many of them are straight out of Hollywood and their star power and cash flow call into question how they were ever called "independent". Most of the rest have horrible scripts, dreadful acting, god awful technical aspects and weak direction. This is one of the REAL independent films that truly has the best of everything.