KING KELLY (2012)

Story & Directed By: Andrew Neel 
Written By: Mike Roberts 
Cinematography By: Ethan Palmer 
Editor: Brad Turner 

 Cast: Louisa Krause, Libby Woodbridge, Roderick Hill, Will Brill, Jonny Orsini


An aspiring Internet star and her best friend try to retrieve a car stocked with illegal narcotics after her bitter ex-boyfriend steals it over the Fourth of July.

Better then expected film that could have easily faltered In it's attempts. Especially as it presents itself more as gimmick film that could have played itself out quickly.

I can admire this film for what it tries to accomplish by being a more subtle satire.

The film seems to try and show the increasing seeming need for the public to desire to be celebrities and share their entire existence with an audience they are sure want to follow them. Without having any actual talent or skill. Hoping the fact that they are attractive is good enough and at first it seems that the film is using the attractiveness of it's star and her willingness to show skin to it's advantage, In hooking viewers to watch the film which starts off more comedic and gets darker with every passing moment and scene. That you barely notice the film has morphed into more o a character study.

At times the film feels more exploitive then it should as it is using that position to put it's point across.

As the film keeps going it seems necessary for it to stick to it's a found footage structure. To keep it's gimmick up and keep up in the scene with a certain Intimacy and impact. I just wish they found better reasons and more inventive ways to keep it going. As at times it seems the reasons are a bit far-fetched.

The ending is heavy and it would have been easy to give the film a ending that made it feel Like the whole endeavor teaches on one anything. But though a bit slight I feel that the ending has a powerful punch. It is the only time the character seems vulnerable and actually truthful to herself and her audience throughout the film.

She gives a performance an icing. What she wants to show and what she feels the audience wants to see and takes no responsibility for her actions though throughout we see the pieces of her, She'd rather not show. Until finally left alone with herself and with no real control left. She has to be honest with herself and her audience though it is left ambiguous whether she really learned anything or not.

I applaud the film for what it tries to get across at times by always successful, but at least they tried.

I also applaud the performances of most of the cast lead Louisa Krause especially. Who looks like Kate Hudson’s younger sister

Though it at times feels like a stretch of the imagination to believe the situations and the results of them. Luckily the film is pulled of surprisingly successfully.

I like that the film seems more natural. At least like it's not directed and feels more like the actors improvised and filmed themselves more like a collaboration. Sort of like the film PROJECT X or THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. Though more straight forward and coherent.

It's not the greatest film, But ambitious and a fun ride. Though I suspect I read more into it the film then that is actually presented. More a message or commentary then an actual plotted narrative.

The film feels like it's social commentary while not exact is probably sadly correct as more of us seem to seek out 15 minutes of fame and will use technology and those close To us for our own selfish purposes, blinding them to the damage they are causing all individuals involved and Hurt when they are truly revealed to themselves and the audience really speaks up. 

Grade: B