Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Or like Gina Gershon on a bender, fully armed with a well-equipped kitchen, working appliances, and some heavy-duty cleaning solutions. Jesse Baget, writer and director of "Breathless," has created a Southern-gothic tale full of betrayal, double-crosses, and a not a little amount of blood.
Lorna (Gina Gershon-Bound, Showgirls), is married to Dale (Val Kilmer-Tombstone). Dale is unconscious on the floor. So Lorna has called her very best friend, Tiny (Kelli Giddish -TV's The Good Wife) over to her house to help figure out what to do. You see, Lorna has beaned Dale on the head with her trusty cast-iron skillet after figuring out that he has most likely robbed a local bank of $100,000 and Lorna wants to know why, and mostly, where the money is.
Tiny arrives at Lorna's trailer and, with a steady stream of Jack Daniels, cigarettes, and red lipstick, the ladies decide to truss-up Dale and question him when he comes to. He claims to have no knowledge of the robbery but Lorna's not buying it, simply because he has a bad track record of lying to her. When push comes to shove, an accident occurs, leaving Dale accidentally deceased. The ladies panic and genuinely don't know what to do. Before they can devise a plan, however, the local sheriff drives up. Sheriff Cooley (Ray Liotta-Goodfellas) just wants to pay Dale a visit. It seems Dale is the number one suspect in the robbery due to his "flagrant disposition for thievery." Lorna refuses him entrance to the trailer and defends Dale saying that he has learned the error of his previous ways and has entered the "gratifying world of modular cabinet sales" and suggests the sheriff go get a search warrant if he wants to enter the trailer. The sheriff leaves and the ladies try to figure out a way to get rid of Dale's body. Thank heaven for Lorna's electric carving knife. The ensuing chaos rivals any horror movie while the trailer's kitchen and living room become a virtual abattoir. There's even a scene with Lorna's high velocity blender that's played for laughs.
Enter Maurice Doucette (Wayne Duvall - TV's Law & Order; The Good Wife). But not through the front door. A slimy private investigator, he squirms his way into the trailer via window, completely unaware he has entered the blood bath from Hell. He is aware that Dale was involved in the robbery and wants his fair share. Possibly for a new toupee. Doucette knows all about Lorna and Tiny: Lorna's distrust in Dale, Tiny's schedule at the Blue Iguana Bar (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and sometimes Saturday nights behind the bar). How he is aware brings up a twist in the story and secrets come out that test Lorna's trust in Tiny: Does Tiny know more about Dale's involvement with the robbery? How well does she know Dale? And what are Tiny's cigarettes doing in Dale's car? The plot begins to thicken as Doucette demands to know where the money is, pulls a gun on the gals, and eventually finds out what is hidden in the air duct behind the refrigerator. Unfortunately, he doesn't get to tell anyone, since his life is suddenly cut short as well.
Lorna and Tiny then enter a heated discussion over Tiny's possible involvement in the robbery. Tiny pulls two guns on Lorna. Lorna is concerned with a spot on her usually immaculate rug. There is another accident and one of the two ladies survives. Is it Lorna? Is it Tiny? Does anyone find the money? Who is left standing when all is said and done? Just what part of Dale did Earl the dog pick up off the floor and run outside with? Burning questions, all. The movie ends with another twist that includes, more blood, a getaway, and lazy daisies. Oh, and a cringe-worthy scene that involves garden shears and a finger.
It truly is a shame movies like this aren't playing in the theaters more often. "Breathless" would likely have gotten great word of mouth, brought in a few bucks, and made Jesse Baget more popular. And lord knows, we could use more talented filmmakers. All the action takes place in one location, a small trailer in the middle-of-nowhere Texas, and even though that seems difficult to pull off, the director is able to create a taut and often, funny, story that never gets stale. There are even great songs in the background performed by Cookie Evans, that brings to mind the country singers of the 50's, 60's & 70's such as Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette. "Breathless shows off Baget's ability to tell a simple story with sharp, witty dialogue and unobtrusive direction. Like Kelli Giddish says in the making of, included here in the DVD, "It's a great little ride."
Indeed, darlin. Indeed.
HaryScary
4 Remotes out of 5
Rated R 91 minutes 2012
DVD extras include "Making of Breathless"
