The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater

A nice couple of hours. Movie plot has most of the main characters out of their comfort zone and they come across that way. Good Acting or Good Casting can't say for sure. Enjoyed it enough to keep an eye out for the actors in future work. And I'm not connected to the show in any way.

The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater is a new release indie that I discovered on Prime. The bold plot has elements that feel a bit like a throwback to films I loved -- part comedy, drama, caper, and romance. Our lead has 30 days to pay back her debt and is forced to extort a priest when she discovers his hidden masterpiece. The film may have some understandable indie imperfections, but it's a solid effort and I really liked the performances of the lead actress, Lorissa Julianus I believe. Worth a watch for appreciators of indie film.

I thoroughly enjoyed this indie-romantic-action comedy. Why? It's easier to explain when I discuss reasons I don't enjoy films categorized similarly.

Camp vs Cringe: There is nothing worse than secondhand embarrassment when watching a comedy. I will quickly give up on a film if it becomes cringey rather than funny. Mistress Maneater is definitely over the top and troupe-y at times, but they were self aware enough to stay firmly in the camp category. There was one moment in particular that I howled with laughter due to the subversion of expectations.

The audience is treated as intelligent: I will be the first to say, I hate comedies that are solely low-brow/gross out style. Mistress Maneater has elements of art history, religion, and lesser spoken about world history/events framing the story. And it's delivered in a way that assumes the audience doesn't need their hands held to understand it. It grounded many of the character motivations in a broader reality, which was appreciated.

Foreign language: I happened to watch this with a friend who is a native Russian speaker. He confirmed that while some of the accents were a bit off (and 1 spot on), the dialog was actually Russian instead of "film Russian" - a common complaint for him. Many major studio films do not make the effort, so kudos for making the effort!

Is this the best film of 2020? Of course not - it wasn't trying to be. It's a fun romp! And in 2020, something to just enjoy is very welcome.

This was a fun story! The film features a unique protagonist, a dominatrix, in what can be viewed as a comedy, mystery, romance, and noir. It is a true independent film, which gives it charm and a unique voice. Some moments felt a little talky, and at times the lighting and color feel amateur. But it's easier to look past that, knowing the filmmakers put their heart and soul into this project. Nothing about this feels "cookie cutter" or manufactured for quick cash. You can tell there is a lot of heart involved behind the scenes.

I'm a big fan of Shannon Brown and I've seen a lot of this work. When he shared this on facebook I was excited to check it out. It wasn't at all what I anticipated as I assumed Shannon was the star of the movie as I've grown accustomed to seeing him as the lead in most things he's cast in. It's very clear from the jump that the star of this movie is Lorissa Julianas. And when I say star, she explemplifies this in every way possible. I've seen her before in a few of the films featuring Shannon, but not like this. She leaves no doubt that she is more than capable of carrying a movie. She is strong, vulnerable and funny and she plays the overqualified genius to perfection. The male lead O'Sullivan is strong as well, a very likeable character that you want to pull for that is worthy of leading man status and I have no doubt we'll be seeing more of him. Then Brown's character which is more of strong supporting role but a role I've never seen him play before as he plays the heroin's gay best friend. This would be an easy role to play campy, over the top and cheap but there is nothing cliche' about his portrayal. Brown showcases his range once again as his choices are very refined, nuanced and still hysterical which meshes wonderfully with the high brow comedy, high society theme of the overall story. I assume the gay community will appreciate that. But as much as I am a fan, Julianas clearly steals the show and I have no doubt we'll see her carrying a movie again in the future. I commend her and her husband, first time director Cj Julianas, for creating a perfect piece to showcase Lorissa's immense talent while still delivering high quality indie fare. There is very little to criticize with this movie. A couple of the performances didn't quite hit home and the pacing could use a little boost in some areas but these are minor issues that barely take away from the overall viewing experience. This will certainly be one of those movies I watch again.