With Fredianelli's HARD PROFIT, we get a southwestern US set crime thriller that reflects much of the climate following the 2008 recession. More than simply cops and gangsters, HARD PROFIT deals primarily with corporate greed and the nefarious business practices that ultimately end up screwing everyone involved. While the main concept behind the movie is compelling, HARD PROFIT is at best a mixed bag when executed. So let's break it down:
The Good: HARD PROFIT has a memorable aesthetic. We get dusty country roads, dark clouds, and outbursts of rainfall. These visual elements underscore the film's ominous, and seedy tone while Aaron Stielstra's haunting score heightens the suspense. Stielstra shows with this film (and a string of rural set Wild Dogs joints) that he can mix his signature synth with folky, acoustic sounds to great effect. Then come the performances. The movie is fronted by Josiah Frampton (THE RIVEN) who has proved to be a great leading man for Wild Dogs. He provides just the right mix of "everyman" while still exuding a powerful edge. Frequent Wild Dogs star Jeremy Koerner also headlines the cast and showcases his ability to play the villainous wild card characters we love to hate. Aaron Stielstra also proves memorable in an extended cameo as company founder Randolph Park. Park is mysterious and creepy and nearly steals the show. Another asset the film has are its action sequences. The film features two tense set pieces that are easily the movie's most powerful scenes. As the credits seem to indicate, these scenes were storyboarded by artist/writer David Lambert and it shows! They are expertly executed and staged and provide some much needed "oomph" at the end of the film.
The Bad: Scenes that should carry impact feel weightless as they are dropped almost as soon as they are brought up. For instance, we get such juicy occurrences as an affair the lead character is having or an undercover FBI agent that shows up snooping at his house while his wife is home alone. While scenes like these are not the driving forces behind the plot, it's weird to see them sprinkled about without much registering. Furthermore, the film suffers from having seemingly too many supporting characters. This is particularly apparent with some of the minor redneck characters that spout off stereotypical and clichéd dialog that seems completely inconsequential. Even though the film runs slightly over an hour and a half, it's midsection seems to drag the movie out as much time seems invested in corporate politics and dialog as well as a tendency to "tell" instead of "show." Lastly, the movie feels tonally inconsistent. Penned in part by Stielstra (best known for his action/comedies), HARD PROFIT is by in large played dead straight. However there are some weird moments throughout where quirky Stielstra-esque humor shows up and feels oddly out of place. Things like hammy line delivery and excessive stock footage (in a corporate training video starring Stielstra himself) are seemingly played for laughs.
All in all, HARD PROFIT is average Wild Dogs. It's not the caliber of SCARLET WORM, BLACKFACE KILLER, or HUNTER AND THE HUNTED, but has enough enjoyable elements to grant it a viewing.
