Nobody Can Cool

This is a fun fun film. It is a well-written thriller that scores big. A couple go away for a weekend and get themselves into trouble with some criminals hiding out at a cabin. It is a visually dynamic wow of a movie that just doesn't come around that often. A low budget film with no name actors who act the pants off a film with a riveting story that looks and sounds great. I loved the character, Len, one of the criminals, played by Nick Principe. His role is a must see. He has a range of funny and scary as hell. His sidekick, his very pregnant girlfriend, plays her nasty girl routine to the hilt.

The good gal, Catherine Annett, brings a first class job playing a woman who is put through the paces, running mascara and all who is no pushover. She does a great job of dishing it out and has some truly unexpected moments with Len. I was fully engaged and gasped out loud in places. There are some shocking images. I'm surprised to find out this is a first film. This is a goody.

A hint of menace is felt even in the opening scene as a Gen-Y couple, Susan and David, en route to a remote cabin for a getaway weekend, seems to be talking past each other. On arrival, an eerie atmosphere takes over when they find another couple already there. The tatted Len – the ominous Nick Principe -- and his pregnant girlfriend Gigi are tough and jumpy. What secrets or crimes are they hiding? The scenes, including a gem of comic relief, are swift and twisty and seamlessly intercut. The dialog is crisp and realistic. The actors play off one another with natural believability. Subtle clues reveal the past of the four principal characters but the plot holds its twists and surprises to the end.

This is definitely one to see. Spread the word.

Nobody Can Cool proved to be a moody and atmospheric suspense thriller. Its color palate cleverly supports a pair of menacing characters, Len and Gigi, who are awaiting the arrival of someone they fear. Before that encounter, they must deal with the unexpected intrusion of a pair of young professionals, a shallow couple with problems of their own. In a remote cabin that each couple expected not to share, trouble begins when the young professionals discover that their bedroom door has been locked. Not willing to accept this situation, Susan, the more assertive and ambitious of the pair, climbs out the bedroom's window and, as the plot develops, into increasing conflict with the looming Len and the aggressive but very pregnant Gigi. If Nick Principe, who plays Len, did not say a word, his presence would bring to the screen echoes of the unhinged villains encountered in comic books. He promises to be the constant source of the misery that Susan and her companion will confront. However, the malice of the expectant Gigi, who speaks with a foreign accent, is not long kept in check. Her pregnancy has not softened her or made her life affirming. In fact, the sequence that establishes her character conveys something grotesque, vulgar or sordid. Such plot elements are woven into a tight and compelling script. The exchanges between the characters are convincing and quickly move the action forward. There are no wasted words. The low-level lighting, in many of the scenes, adds to the film's gritty depiction of the situations of the characters. The very tall, bald, slightly bearded and heavily tattooed Len, in fact, often seem to emerge out of darkness, as if he were an element of a distressing dream. Moreover, every one of the film's agents is in some sort of nightmare or trap. Other stylistic elements contribute to the film's unsettling atmospherics. Attention is often called to the passing of time, as the film's unwinding moves us closer to inevitable catastrophe. One could add to this the nighttime setting, the remoteness of the cabin and the eerie sound effects. What most struck me in the film's first half hour was how well it was put together. Each scene moved seamlessly to the next; the visually jarring elements were intentionally so. The camera's movements were well considered, and the final product seemed the result of careful consideration of how the cuts between shots would contribute both to the revelation of character and to the tensions that were basic to the action. The brevity of some of those early shots, coupled with the red and green colors that dominate each frame, suggests that the film's directors might have wanted to evoke the panels of classic crime comics. But there is no detective or comic book hero to resolve the villainy and mayhem in this film. Nobody Can Cool shows what can be done with a well-developed script and a cast that works together. Highly recommended.

Although it starts in familiar territory--2 opposing couples forced to spend the night together in the boonies with no phone-- it quickly switches gears turning unpredictable, ratcheting up the tension. Nobody Can Cool strays from "tried and true" plot conventions to make a taut original outsider thriller.

You won't say, "I've seen this before", and that's exactly part of its charm. The other part is the immersive experience created through the quality of the production and the performances. The actors inject distinctive personalities into each character that make them fun to watch. You care about them and become invested in their stories. I don't want to describe the characters because it is better to get to know them as the film unfolds. I don't want to ruin it, but they do bad things and are in a jam. Sometimes it is pretty funny.

The directors deftly weave the couples' interpersonal conflicts (many allowing for the humor) with a suspenseful smart crime plot that gradually unfolds throughout the movie. The shots are varied and confident with some visually arresting angles that add to a forbidding aura. The sound design adds a complementary background to the plot enhancing the tension and suspense. It's one of the few microbudget films I've seen with a multi-layered plot, complex characters and impressive production design, color, and cinematography to create a distinctive style. Too many films cherry pick what they decide to do well. You get good gore, but no story and cookie cutter characters. It's always a pleasure when a film cares about its plot, characters, and visual appeal at the same time. Nobody Can Cool is that kind of film. It's an original that should be sought out and given some real attention. I rated it ten stars because it impressively succeeds at a high degree of difficulty on no budget, and it's a remarkably well-crafted first feature. Full of chills, thrills, a tight plot that works, it grabs you early on and takes you on a colorful race to the end.

If you are tired of mainstream Hollywood movies, but afraid of boring indies, here's one for you. Not a remake, reboot, or sequel, this is an ambitious and slick little thriller that sneaks up on you, draws you in, and takes you for a ride. The plot is tight and clever, and the dialogue is snappy and peppered with hardboiled humor.

The production values are amazingly good for an indie. The cinematography looks like a pulp noir watercolor book cover come to life. The shots are creative and well composed without drawing attention to themselves. The detailed sound design enhances the suspense which leads up to the gun and fight scenes which are skillfully done.

The caliber of acting is also surprisingly good. Nick Principe plays "Len" a ruthless criminal, but with a moral code that just makes his character have more edge and complexity. Catherine Annette's "Susan" brings a plucky likeablity to a role that drags her through some tough and unflattering situations. Nikki Bohm plays a unique and memorable character, a sultry pregnant villain I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. Intrigued? Buy it and support an entertaining original.