South Of Pico (2007)

Snail’s Pace Productions/Image Entertainment

Directed by Ernst Gossner

Written by Ernst Gossner and Richard Marcus

Starring: Kip Pardue, Gina Torres, Henry Simmons

Score: Technical: 95, Story: 80, Acting: 90, Total: 88

I was quite surprised. I didn’t like “Crash” and I heard comparisons between this movie and “Crash”, but “South Of Pico” is clearly a superior film. Set in a 12-hour period where five lives deal with periods of uncertainty, quiet desperation, inner demons, and in the end intersect on a fateful street at a tragic event.

Shot really well, the lighting, even indoors, is immediately reminiscent of an almost blisteringly-hot day in LA, which seems to be the mood that’s being set here. It’s no “Do The Right Thing” but still just as powerful, probably more so because of the connection between California and blistering sunshine. I like the casting, I think Gina Torres was a particularly great casting choice for her role, I’m a fan and it’s a shame she isn’t in more mainstream stuff, which fans of hers from her role in Joss Whedon’s “Firefly/Serenity” universe will agree.

It’s not a perfect film now, mind you. Unfortunately, it does tend to occasionally be a bit over-dramatic, particularly Henry Simmons, who we best know from his stint on “NYPD Blue”. Also, I did have an issue with the end of the movie and the final scene, the event that ultimately ties all the characters into a single moment.

I’m normally not squeamish by any means, but I found the actual showing of the event to be overkill. It wasn’t necessary at all and would have sufficed much better as an unseen but heard event. So much else goes unseen in the movie, in particular the unseen-but-heard character of Soren Fulton’s character’s dad, which worked quite well. Regardless, I can see how the brutality of the scene in question is supposed to work, to trigger the exact moment linking everyone. I just don’t really agree necessarily.

All in all I’d recommend this movie; it’s a stellar indie production, that even with its flaws is way above other “indie” and dramatic titles that have made major distribution in theaters these days. Not a top 10, but a top 20 for sure for me.

By Costa Koutsoutis