Paydirt is a heist movie at its core, but it’s also a narrative about new beginnings. It was written and directed by Christian Sesma and tells the story of Damien Brooks (Luke Goss), better known as The Brit, who leads an eclectic crew of criminals. Sheriff Tucker (Val Kilmer) is the cop who has always been looking to nail him. But the big bust goes horribly wrong. Although Damien is arrested, they can only hold him for a few years on marijuana possession. Sheriff Tucker is disgraced and kicked off the force. He starts drinking heavily as he waits for Damien’s parole release to redeem himself. But when Damien is released he has other plans like recovering over thirty-million in drug money that went missing right before he went away. He’s not the only one after that loot though, so he will need to reassemble his old gang and use all his cunning if he wants to find the lost treasure.
The feature film’s premise is nothing original. These elements have been used many times over by Hollywood. Although there are some dramatic flares at the very start of the movie, for the first almost hour it seems like just another typical heist film complete with disgraced cops, a misfit group of thieves, and drug cartels. In fact, some things seem downright implausible until we get to the last third of the flick. Then it all starts coming together and a somewhat deeper level is revealed. The smart third act is hinted at by the stand out performances of Luke Goss and Val Kilmer who both bring a deeper level to what could have been simply cops and robbers. Val Kilmer brings a quiet pain to his role. While Luke Goss has an air of insightfulness about him that makes you instantly want to get to know him better. These two ground the absurd characters and events that seem to bounce off the walls around them.
Although this movie abounds with cliches, it has a somewhat unique light-hearted comedic element that it mixes with the standard Hollywood glamorization of the criminal life. This gives it a bizarre cartoony vibe alongside the guns and drugs. It’s hit or miss but the moments where it works; it really work. Fans of the Fast & Furious films will be drawn to this feature because both flicks have that same irreverent jovial element amongst criminal buddies. I also have to note that women are given a more prominent role than is typical for this type of film. There are no damsels in distress here. Both genders are cops and robbers. There is even a homosexual relationship which was a nice touch for diversity. However, that being said this is still a film directed at a testosterone-fueled crowd so everything is still seen through that lens.
Overall, Paydirt is an entertaining romp with some misfit outlaws even with its bumps. It is not a weighty film which helps make the bumps that do come up more forgivable. Its mix of action and comedy with a feel-good payoff at the end makes for an enjoyable movie. Fans of cinema that make you root for the outlaw will find themselves easily settling in for this narrative. The characters are likable which really helps elevate the story that unfolds. If you're willing to stick through a somewhat uneven first half. the second half will deliver the paydirt.
RORSCHACH RATING:
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Victims and Villains is written Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey (and produced by), Caless Davis, Dan Rockwood, & Brandon Miller. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. This post was edited by Cam Smith. Paydirt is property of Uncorked Entertainment. We do not own nor claim any rights. Paydirt opens in select theaters and is available on all digital platforms August 7th, 2020.
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