The American Side (2014)

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acoltismypassport
Date on this page says 2014, yet IMDb and elsewhere say 2016. What's up with that? 7 years 2 months ago
Siskoid
The American Side shines for having been filmed in Buffalo and including the strikingly shot Niagara Falls in the plot - it's a place we don't often see, but I think should - but ultimately falls down, not so much because it has a convoluted plot, but because that plot takes a strange pseudo-scientific bent that makes it seem like it's playing from J.J. Abrams' old Alias playbook. Co-writer Greg Sturh plays a private dick right out of a 70s cop show, car and all, and it actually takes about 20 minutes before you realize the action occurs in contemporary America. Shot in a desaturated look to give it that 70s noir feeling, the film also has every interaction with its P.I. sound like something out of a Philip Marlowe mystery. A lot of great lines, but many that just sound strange as well. Sturh is a relative no-name, but he's surrounded by recognizable actors who create some intriguing characters. It's just that all these tonal and historical elements aren't always a healthy part of the mix. 7 years 8 months ago