Uziel helms and pens an exceptional dark dramedy thriller. The story is recounted backwards much like Nolan's, "Momento" which keeps the mystery tense until the end which is actually the beginning. This film has considerable direction, screenplay, cinematography, score, settings and acting. All of the artists deliver ambitious portrayals of subtle comedic characters and serious characters. In particular Wilson, Livingston, Corddry, Russell and Pally stand out. Walker commands the screen and is very impressive as the cool headed intelligent Sheriff. The plot revolves around a bank robbery and is untangled using title cards starting with Friday and ending with Tuesday. The three suspects are childhood friends Andy, Ed and Chris. Friday starts off Andy who is a corrupt prosecutor hiding in the basement from his brother Zeke who is the Sheriff investigating the robbery and was shot during the heist. Andy escapes the basement and speeds off. The FBI shows up and Zeke explains this is a small town, where everyone involved grew up together, played sports together and know each other. He assures them that he and his Deputy Sheriff Reed have it handled. Andy throws the loot in the back of Chris' wife Steph's car and then an arm with a 'State Champions' tattoo reaches from the car and shoots Andy dead. Thursday starts with Zeke investigating Chris who is the wheelman. We learn that Andy got Chris and Ed off on a reckless manslaughter charge in which a child was killed. The child was Chris' and Steph's son who died in Chris' meth lab. We meet Judge Brad Dawkins who is involved as he is the owner of the bank and was blackmailed into giving up the vault combination due to a revealing videotape that would ruin his reputation, marriage and aspirations. The Judge burst in on Chris demanding the videotape after the robbery and things go awry. Wednesday starts with Andy and Chris trying to determine if Ed took off with the money. Steph has lured Chris into the compromising position that allowed the Judge to burst in. Andy busts in on the Judge and his meth head boy toy. He insists Ed has something on the Judge and a struggle ensues. Steph holds the struggle and videotape as a bribe to have Andy hold onto the money for Ed. Tuesday starts with the robbery being planned by Andy, Ed and Chris and we see a tattoo with 'State Champions' on an arm. Steph is pleading with Chris not to pull off the job but he convinces her it is their only way out of their current lives. The Judge has loaded the vault and it is Zeke's responsibility to guard the vault for the night. Zeke tells Reed to go home. Andy and Ed break into the bank and take Zeke hostage. Andy leaves assuming Ed has things under control. Then the ingenious reveal occurs. The film is witty, crisp, clever, violent, engaging, duplicitous, cunning, vengeful and has a vindicating end. The film has some quirky, daft and chucklesome scenes. The two FBI agents banter while eating during a stakeout when a streaker runs by, the inept masks and accents during the robbery are zany and sitting in a car Andy tells Chris to turn on the radio to get an update and the dim witted Chris puts on music. There is significant dialogue. This viewer's favorite is when Zeke says to Chris, "You know what they say. Once you take a life, it's always easier the second time". This is an appreciable film in it's genre. This film is one of three hidden gems that Netflix released in 2017. The others being "Small Crimes" and "I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore". These three films are not bravura works of art, but they are definitely superior to most of the abysmal content that Netflix has offered.
Review of Shimmer Lake
