Independent New Zealand comedy following three criminally clueless college buddies who come into possession of three cases of premium grade heroin. When put under the heat of police interrogations, each lad gives their own side of the story.
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Genre films are something I want to see more of in New Zealand, but it hurts to see a concept filled with potential not receiving the financial backing to really bring its ideas to life. Scott Boswell’s daring effort to make a Guy Ritchie-esque crime-comedy with the little resources and free time he had is one I commend greatly. However, unless you can forgive the movie’s very noticeable flaws, The Fall Guys is a very tough watch.
The ensemble cast do their best to boost the quality of the film – Ryan O’Kane, Dane Dawson and Kyle Pryor turn in great performances as the clueless young men who decide to give heroin dealing a go, while Paul Glover and David Viskovich bring intimidating menace to their roles. Boswell also sets up damn funny moments that make the most of the trio’s criminal ignorance, like their attempt to tie someone up using the only thing they can find – a TV power cord. However, with its dud gags (the foursome), lousy side characters (the two very stereotypical Asians) and a convoluted conclusion stuffed with exposition, the script begs for a rewrite.
Had The Fall Guys managed to get the funding for decent lighting, professional sound equipment and post production necessities (as well as someone to give the script another revision), we could have had a Kiwi cult favourite. Unfortunately, the shoestring production value culminates in a film that constantly distracts with its cheap look and audio – the dialogue in the warehouse scenes echoing horribly; a fight scene that looks incredibly staged; opening titles that look like they were done on Windows Movie Maker; and a topless scene that feels creepily voyeuristic. A victim of its sparse budget, despite having some genuinely good (even great) moments, The Fall Guys doesn’t do enough to rise above its severe limitations like a great indie film should.
