Severance

Severance is the story of getting back on track. After the main character falls victim to a corporate downsizing, he uses his severance check to realize his dream of becoming a private detective (a la the legendary film noir characters played by Humphry Bogart). Unfortunately this is not as easy as he imagines.

I really enjoyed this film, and so did the audience who saw it with me. Writer/Director/Actor Troy Miller jams the film full of great dialog and funny characters, but it is also suspenseful and moving. Even if you've never been laid off, you'll be able to identify with this hero. Considering the extremely limited budget of the film, I thought it was great! Can't wait for the next one.

An excellent first film from cinema's newest renaissance man, the talented Troy Miller. Austinite Miller writes, acts, and directs with the skill of a seasoned veteran. His narrative and comedic sense rivals, if not bests, other famous first outings (e.g. Swingers, Clerks, and Garden State). Like those, one can sense the autobiographical nature of the story. Miller uses his own unemployment from the high-tech world and the use of his own severance to fund his dream as the springboard.

That's only the beginning. Miller takes the opportunity to creatively craft a screenwriters dream. This story is well-paced with a nice arch. Scenes and dialog are witty, while still advancing the story. It's evident how well-versed Miller is in cinema with all the nods the film makes to Bogart and Woody Allen films. The combination of a noir detective story, contemporary topics, a coming (or reviewing) of age drama, a colorful cast of characters, and elements of a love story serve a recipe of refreshing and compelling cinema. Audiences will laugh and think. They will move to the edge of the seat and back. Add quality editing, cinematography, and an original jazz score and you have a winner. Hollywood, America, and Austin cannot wait to see where Miller's career will go from here.

Shot in B&W and containing a homage to Bogart, it is kind of like "Slacker" with a bit of plot and updated to 2005. Contains some funny moments and sends up corporations and some of their denizens pretty effectively. My rating was kicked up by the amusement value of tracking some of the locations used around Austin. Hence my "Slacker" reference. Some of the "Slacker" locations are no more or much changed. This gives Austin lovers a new venue game. Interestingly enough, it showed at the Austin Film Festival but not at that fest's most funky Austin venue (The Hideout). That's interesting because The Hideout is the star location of the film. Here are a couple of other places that you will see besides the usual office buildings and the Capitol: Austin Club exterior, SoCo exterior (Lucy in Disguise), the strip center where Room Service is located (is that Room Service where he finds the dinner jacket?).

This was an excellent film debut by Troy Miller! Shot in a lot of familiar and not so familiar Austin venues that locals and those who have never been to Austin can enjoy. Heavily influenced by a film noir style, the cinematography was simple yet dramatic at the same time. I literally could not stop laughing throughout the movie, especially during the scene at the "Trim and Blow" hair salon. You just have to see it to know what I mean. The chemistry between the actors definitely shines through and makes this film nonstop entertainment! There were so many memorable characters, and so much talent in this film. You've got to see it!

"Severance" is an extraordinarily excellent first feature. The dialog is witty and tight, the acting above average for a small budget independent, AND it is shot on film. When's the last time you saw a film with a budget under $3 million shot on film?

The plot is a kind of Walter Mitty meets Sam Spade meets... uhhh... what was the guy's name in "Office Space?" Anyway, Miller plays a perfect underdog everyman beaten down by the Darwinian world of corporate America. His stellar comic timing really carries the film at times and saves it from a few, scattered "low budget" performances.

The cinematography is beautiful, and truly captures the film noir look. Also, the moody jazz score is played on real musical instruments (no casiotone crap here) and thus really drives the film noir homage home.

If you hate layoffs, corporate America, and guys in gorilla suits, you should check this one out.