Yeah, I'll be checking my bathtub from now on, if I have lapses of memory too. My review of 'Blackout'

Blackout(IV)(2013)
Rated:Unrated
Runtime: 1hr,20min.
Director:Matthew K. Hacker
Starring:
Timothy Woodward, Jr.
Bill Oberst, Jr.
Robert Covington
Chelsea Reeves


Synopsis(from IMDb)-
"A young attorney's life is turned upside when he wakes to find a dead woman in his apartment."


After a night of wild partying, our intrepid hero Harley Roberts wakes up to an irate fiance' in his bedroom and a dead girl in his shower. The very much alive fiance' is trying to get him motivated for a meeting with her father(who wants to make Harley a junior partner at his law firm). The dead girl.. well she's just, you know, hanging about.  Not the greatest way to start the day, am I right?  Before he noticed her, he'd grabbed the bottle of Tums--I'm guessing indigestion from all the partying--but I'm thinking all the Tums in the world ain't gonna help any, not after he finds the girl.  Thinking quickly, he deflects the fiance', with some half-truths and some misdirection and manages to get himself and his girl out of the apartment, leaving the dead girl behind. As you do. o_O

Sure, he could have done something, like, oh, call the police(and he tries, a few times), and his solution(s) are acts of desperation, of course- you don't remember what happened the night before, and here's this dead chick in your shower.  You see your career as an attorney slipping away, so you take matters into your own hands(and later also your best friend's). It's not a great solution and probably shows guilt. But it's the only one he has and he certainly doesn't redeem himself in the audience's eyes.  But I couldn't help feeling badly for him, even if his actions were wrong-headed.  The reviews on this subject(how he handles this dilemma) are pretty mixed elsewhere, but I rolled with it and rooted for him just the same. 

Of course, handing one problem, and thinking it's over, he realises the nightmare is just beginning, as his world is rocked again upon waking up the next morning...

Anyway, this movie, it has a decent plot, and the lighting and camera work are really good, and well.. okay. I'm not the only one who noticed it and it's probably the only beef I have with the movie- I mean, I LOVED the movie, don't get me wrong, because I love Whodunnits.  But the ending.  It just seemed, I don't know... it left me scratching my head.  We see the resolution to the mystery and then.. it's six weeks later and what? If there's a sequel planned(please, God, let there be a sequel!), maybe some stuff could be cleared up? I felt there was just some threads hanging. Especially the last shot. That especially.  I could have been wrong, maybe. Maybe? It was a good ending, but maybe I missed something? I've been known to do that. -_-

Other people have complained that the actors/dialog weren't any good, but I don't agree. The actors did a great job, in my humble opinion. And the dialog, seemed fine to me too. Look folks. If you're renting/streaming/buying this movie expecting a Mainstream Big Studio Hollywood Blockbuster with all the bells and whistles of said films, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. This is an independent film, with a much lower budget than those other films. It's NOT going to be the same.  This movie is a diamond in the rough--It's not as shiny maybe, but a little gem nonetheless. There's some great moments, and plenty of suspense.

Tim Woodward,Jr gave a solid performance as Harley, the put upon young attorney who has to deal with dead bodies that keep popping up, Chelsea Reeves did a fine job as his suffering fiance' Sophie Haag, Robert Covington is great as Harley's best friend Alfred "Alfie" Lewis(and important to the plot and that's all I'm sayin') and Horror Icon Bill Oberst, Jr is wonderful as Rommel Stanton,the affable, yet kind of creepy Apartment Concierge(with more to him than meets the eye). 

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and I do recommend it very much, especially to those who love independent films and murder mysteries. Pop yourself some popcorn, get comfy and expect to be entertained. 

I give this one 1 Million stars, just because I believe in supporting independent movies and the cast and crew of those movies; also it's my blog and my review and I think it deserved it.  :)