Too Late (2015 film)

Last updated

Too Late
Too Late (2015 film).png
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDennis Hauck
Written byDennis Hauck
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyBill Fernandez
Edited by David Heinz
Music byRobert Allaire
Production
companies
Foe Killer Films
Vanishing Angle
Release dates
  • June 11, 2015 (2015-06-11)(LAFF) [1]
  • March 18, 2016 (2016-03-18)(United States)
Running time
107 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Too Late is a 2015 American independent drama film written and directed by Dennis Hauck. The film was shot in 35mm Techniscope in five twenty-two minute individual takes with no hidden cuts or other editing. [2] In the film, a private investigator (John Hawkes) scours the streets of Los Angeles to track down a missing woman from his past. He then finds himself tangled up in sleazy scandal involving strip clubs, petty drug dealers, and missing girls.

Contents

The film premiered at the 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival, [3] and had a limited theatrical release beginning in March 2016. [4] [5]

Plot

The film follows a nonlinear narrative: it consists of five segments which are presented out of chronological order. The five segments are described here in the order they appear in the film.

A young girl, Dorothy Mahler, is hiking on a nature trail near to downtown Los Angeles when two dimwitted street dealers, Jesse and Mathew, turn up by chance. She borrows the phone of one and calls Mel Samson, a private investigator, whom she had met earlier, saying she needs his help because some bad guys in the city are angry with her. While waiting for Samson to arrive, Dorothy takes ecstasy given to her by the dealers, who have to go but promise to come back for her later. Dorothy begins talking to Skippy Fontaine, a seemingly friendly park ranger. Dorothy and Fontaine chat until we see that there is a dead body nearby. Suddenly Fontaine attacks Dorothy and strangles her. The returning Jesse and Matthew come across her body and believe that she overdosed on the drugs they gave her, and they run away in fear. Samson arrives, too late, to find Dorothy dead.

In the second segment, Samson arrives at the home of sleazy strip club owner Gordy, saying he's been in a car accident and needs to use their phone. He speaks with Gordy's much-younger, neglected wife, Janet, and has a drink. When Samson eventually comes face to face with Gordy and Roger Fontaine, Skippy's father, he reveals his real identity and tells them the motivation for Dorothy's murder: Dorothy had photographs of Gordy receiving oral sex from another stripper, and Gordy arranged Dorothy's murder to keep Janet from finding out. Janet is incensed by Samson's story of her husband's infidelity and retrieves a gun. Provoked by Samson, she shoots Gordy and Roger dead, before (despite Samson's protests) turning the gun on herself. Samson remarks to himself that he needs to get his life together.

The third segment shows what would have been first chronologically. Samson sits in a strip club and is offered a lap dance from a performer named Jill, which he declines. He meets Dorothy and asks her to get a drink with him but she diverts him and leaves without him noticing. Samson goes to a neighboring club where a friend's band is performing live music. He finds Dorothy waiting for him and she joins him in a photo booth. He plays guitar and performs a song.

The fourth segment shows what would have been last chronologically. Jill is working at a drive-in movie theater, where she's approached by Samson, who has a non-deadly bullet wound in his chest. They discuss their year-long romantic relationship, which ended some time earlier. Samson reveals that he's come to the theater to confront one of its patrons, Fontaine. He gets into Fontaine's car and points a gun at him but Fontaine manages to stab him in the abdomen with a broken bottle and escape. Jill joins Samson in the car and holds him as he dies. He shows her the "Jilly Bean" tattoo he got in her honor.

In the final segment, Samson goes to see Dorothy's grandmother and mother about taking her case, but he insists on doing it at no cost, out of loyalty to Dorothy. Speaking privately to Dorothy's mother, Mary, Samson reminds her through an allegory that they had had a relationship many years earlier, revealing that Samson is Dorothy's father and had watched her grow up from a distance her whole life. Walking to his car, Samson is attacked and shot in the chest by Jesse and Matthew, who believe Dorothy died from the drugs they gave her and don't want to be implicated in Samson's investigation. They flee, and Samson gets into his car with painful but survivable injuries. Energized by glancing at the photos he and Dorothy took in the photo booth the night they met, he starts his car and drives off.

Cast

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval of 70% based on 33 reviews, with an average rating of 5.70/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Too Late pays homage to its genre inspirations affectionately enough to beg forgiveness for relying on them so heavily." [6] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 54 out of 100, based on reviews from 14 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [7]

Ken Jaworowski of The New York Times praised the film, writing "Mr. Hauck's affection is apparent in every frame, yet outside of an occasionally clunky line or show-offy moment (O.K., sometimes it's more occasional than just occasionally), he rarely allows it to alter his aim. That aim is to make a modern noir. That aim is true." [8]

Gary Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "Hauck, with a strong assist from Bill Fernandez's clever, well-modulated Techniscope lensing, impressively choreographs the movie's continuous takes with a nice balance of intimacy and breadth. Hauck's a talent to watch." [9]

Dennis Harvey of Variety magazine called it "a supremely self-conscious genre exercise" but praised Hawkes for his performance: "As a spiritually "lost" man searching for a more literally lost woman, Hawkes has just the offhand gravitas required for a noir hero. Yet in a movie where character backstory and plot coherence hardly figure, any emotional realism the actor provides is wholly his invention." [4] Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "With its overt nods to movies, nonlinear structure and purple-tinged dialogue, the self-conscious artifice of Hauck's first feature can be suffocating. This narrative puzzle should be more fun than it is." [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Bad Girl</i> (1931 film) 1931 film

Bad Girl is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film directed by Frank Borzage and starring Sally Eilers, James Dunn, and Minna Gombell. The screenplay was adapted by Edwin J. Burke from the 1928 novel by Viña Delmar and the 1930 play by Delmar and Brian Marlowe. The plot follows the courtship and marriage of two young, working-class people and the misunderstandings that result from their not having learned to trust and communicate with one another. The film propelled then-unknown actors Eilers and Dunn to stardom. It was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.

<i>Touch of Evil</i> 1958 film by Orson Welles

Touch of Evil is a 1958 American film noir written and directed by Orson Welles, who also stars in the film. The screenplay was loosely based on the contemporary Whit Masterson novel Badge of Evil (1956). The cast included Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Joseph Calleia, Akim Tamiroff and Marlene Dietrich.

<i>Suspicion</i> (1941 film) 1941 American film by Alfred Hitchcock

Suspicion is a 1941 romantic psychological thriller film noir directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine as a married couple. It also features Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Nigel Bruce, Dame May Whitty, Isabel Jeans, Heather Angel, and Leo G. Carroll. Suspicion is based on Francis Iles's novel Before the Fact (1932).

<i>Sudden Fear</i> 1952 film by David Miller

Sudden Fear is a 1952 American film noir thriller film directed by David Miller, and starring Joan Crawford and Jack Palance in a tale about a successful woman who marries a murderous man. The screenplay by Lenore J. Coffee and Robert Smith was based upon the novel of the same name by Edna Sherry.

<i>Island in the Sun</i> (film) 1957 American film

Island in the Sun is a 1957 drama film produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and directed by Robert Rossen. It features an ensemble cast including James Mason, Harry Belafonte, Joan Fontaine, Joan Collins, Dorothy Dandridge, Michael Rennie, Stephen Boyd, Patricia Owens, John Justin, Diana Wynyard, John Williams, and Basil Sydney. The film is about race relations and interracial romance set in the fictitious island of Santa Marta. Barbados and Grenada were selected as the sites for the movie based on the 1955 novel by Alec Waugh. The film was controversial at the time of its release for its on-screen portrayal of interracial romance.

<i>52 Pick-Up</i> 1986 film

52 Pick-Up is a 1986 American neo-noir crime film directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Roy Scheider, Ann-Margret, and Vanity. It is based on Elmore Leonard's 1974 novel of the same name, and is the second adaptation of it after The Ambassador (1984).

<i>The Blue Gardenia</i> 1953 film by Fritz Lang

The Blue Gardenia is a 1953 American film noir starring Anne Baxter, Richard Conte, and Ann Sothern. Directed by Fritz Lang from a screenplay by Charles Hoffman, it is based on the novella The Gardenia by Vera Caspary.

<i>Creepshow 2</i> 1987 American comedy horror anthology film

Creepshow 2 is a 1987 American comedy horror anthology film directed by Michael Gornick, and the sequel to Creepshow. Gornick was previously the cinematographer of the first film, and the screenplay was written by George A. Romero who was director of the original film. The film's stars were Lois Chiles, George Kennedy, Dorothy Lamour, and Tom Savini. It was once again based upon stories by Stephen King, and features three more horror segments consisting of "Old Chief Wood'nhead", "The Raft" and "The Hitchhiker".

<i>Flesh and Bone</i> (film) 1993 film by Steve Kloves

Flesh and Bone is a 1993 American neo noir mystery thriller film written and directed by Steve Kloves that stars Meg Ryan, Dennis Quaid and James Caan. Gwyneth Paltrow is featured in an early role, for which she received some praise.

<i>Too Late for Tears</i> 1949 film by Byron Haskin

Too Late for Tears is a 1949 American film noir starring Lizabeth Scott, Don DeFore, and Dan Duryea. Directed by Byron Haskin, its plot follows a ruthless woman who resorts to multiple murders in an attempt to retain a suitcase containing US$60,000 that does not belong to her. The screenplay was written by Roy Huggins, developed from a serial he wrote for The Saturday Evening Post. Arthur Kennedy, Kristine Miller, and Barry Kelley appear in support.

<i>Doc Hollywood</i> 1991 American romantic comedy film

Doc Hollywood is a 1991 American romantic comedy film directed by Michael Caton-Jones and written by Daniel Pyne along with Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman, based on Neil B. Shulman's book What? Dead...Again? The film stars Michael J. Fox, Julie Warner, Barnard Hughes, Woody Harrelson, David Ogden Stiers, Frances Sternhagen, and Bridget Fonda.

<i>They Wont Believe Me</i> 1947 film by Irving Pichel

They Won't Believe Me is a 1947 American film noir directed by Irving Pichel and starring Robert Young, Susan Hayward and Jane Greer. It was produced by Alfred Hitchcock's longtime assistant and collaborator, Joan Harrison. The film was made and distributed by Hollywood major studio RKO Pictures.

<i>High Wall</i> 1947 film by Curtis Bernhardt

High Wall is a 1947 American film noir starring Robert Taylor, Audrey Totter and Herbert Marshall. It was directed by Curtis Bernhardt from a screenplay by Sydney Boehm and Lester Cole, based on a play by Alan R. Clark and Bradbury Foote.

<i>Family Business</i> (1989 film) 1989 film by Sidney Lumet

Family Business is a 1989 American neo noir crime film directed by Sidney Lumet, with a screenplay by Vincent Patrick, based on his novel. It stars Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick.

<i>Breathless</i> (1983 film) 1983 American drama film directed by Jim McBride

Breathless is a 1983 American neo-noir romantic thriller film directed by Jim McBride, written by McBride and L. M. Kit Carson, and starring Richard Gere and Valérie Kaprisky. It is a remake of the 1960 French film of the same name directed by Jean-Luc Godard and written by Godard and François Truffaut. The original film is about an American woman and a French criminal in Paris, while the remake is vice versa in Los Angeles.

<i>True Confessions</i> (film) 1981 crime film directed by Ulu Grosbard

True Confessions is a 1981 American neo-noir crime drama film directed by Ulu Grosbard and starring Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall as the brothers Spellacy, a priest and police detective. Produced by Chartoff-Winkler Productions, it is adapted from the novel of the same name by John Gregory Dunne, loosely based on the Black Dahlia murder case of 1947. Dunne wrote the screenplay with his wife, novelist Joan Didion. The film was released on September 25, 1981, receiving generally positive reviews from critics.

<i>The Wiz</i> (film) 1978 film by Sidney Lumet

The Wiz is a 1978 American musical fantasy adventure film directed by Sidney Lumet. Adapted from the 1974 Broadway musical of the same name, the film reimagines the classic 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum with an African-American cast. Dorothy, a 24-year old teacher from Harlem, finds herself magically transported to the urban fantasy Land of Oz. On her travels seeking help from the mysterious Wiz, Dorothy befriends a Scarecrow, a Tin Man, and a Cowardly Lion.

<i>Footsteps in the Fog</i> 1955 British film by Arthur Lubin

Footsteps in the Fog is a 1955 British Technicolor Victorian-era crime thriller starring Stewart Granger and Jean Simmons, with a screenplay co-written by Lenore Coffee and Dorothy Davenport, and released by Columbia Pictures. Directed by Arthur Lubin, the film is based on the W. W. Jacobs short story "The Interruption".

<i>The Temp</i> (film) 1993 American film

The Temp is a 1993 American neo-noir psychological thriller film directed by Tom Holland and starring Timothy Hutton, Lara Flynn Boyle, and Faye Dunaway. Its plot follows a troubled businessman whose life is upturned after the arrival of a mysterious female temp worker in his office. Oliver Platt, Dwight Schultz, Steven Weber, and Maura Tierney appear in supporting roles.

<i>Killing Ground</i> (film) 2016 Australian film

Killing Ground is a 2016 Australian horror thriller film written and directed by Damien Power and starring Harriet Dyer, Ian Meadows and Aaron Pedersen

References

  1. "Stock Photo - LOS ANGELES, CA. June 11, 2015: Robert Forester at the premiere of "Too Late", part of the LA Film Festival, at the Bing Theatre at LACMA. © 2015 Paul Smith / Featureflash". Alamy. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  2. "SF Indiefest: Too Late". Roxie Theater. February 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  3. Strauss, Bob (June 13, 2015). "LA Film Festival Review: 'Too Late' an audacious neo-noir" . Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Harvey, Dennis (March 30, 2016). "Film Review: 'Too Late'". Variety .
  5. Paris, Barry (April 21, 2016). "Movie Review: 'Too Late' is an ambitious film noir". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  6. "Too Late (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  7. "Too Late". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  8. Jaworowski, Ken (March 31, 2016). "Review: In 'Too Late,' Imitation Is Sincere Flattery (Published 2016)" . The New York Times . p. C9.
  9. Goldstein, Gary (March 18, 2016). "Review: 'Too Late' a bold take on detective genre". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  10. Linden, Sheri (June 15, 2015). "'Too Late': LAFF Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved September 30, 2021.