Review of film “CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE” + Q&A with DIRECTOR

“CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE”

MY rating of the R-rated (for violence & language) advance screening of film:  8.00 of 10 stars.

MIDWEST INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL Festival Director MIKE McNAMARA thanked the various panelists & Sponsors of the Festival, and introduced a trailer for an upcoming film, a short film “THEY CAN SLEEP” by Chicago filmmaker Paul Matian (on the faculty of Tribeca Flashpoint) seen at the Chicago Int’l. Film Festival, & the 08-03-10 Chicago premiere of the film “CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE”…

…  In the feature film, Illinois native Chris Klein plays Detective Biggs, & Adam Rodriguez (from TV’s “CSI Miami”) plays his partner Detective Shepherd.  They have seemingly become targets for certain gang-related people, &, when they try to investigate what’s going on, they appear to be increasingly confused:

…  Short-tempered Chris doesn’t like the idea of trusting the words of supposed gang snitch Tino (50 Cent) who tries to tell them that some COPS are involved in some of the drug dealings they’ve been investigating…

…  There are a number of shootouts, personal & police-related interrogations concerning various people (including some cop partners the detectives know), & the trail grows ever “murkier” as certain facts simply don’t “add-up” regarding the shootings & killings of important people…

…  Is the “dirty cops” claim really TRUE?…  If so, who ARE they, and are there “higher-ups” that need to be watched?…  Who’s really BEHIND the unusual drug-dealing that’s going down?…  Will Chris like the truths he eventually discovers?…

…  The film is unusually SUSPENSEFUL & also REALISTIC in certain unusual ways (such as how many long-distance gunshots seldom find their intended targets)…  It’s well acted, cleverly plotted with “twists & turns”, & enjoyable…    

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Q&A AFTER THE FILM

… After the film, “MAC” from the MIDWEST INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL hosted a Q&A with director BRIAN MILLER…

…  To questions posed, Brian said, the film was made for “UNDER $ 1 million dollars”, & most of the time was spent in PRE-production -- such as scouting-out exact locations, extensive planning for his shooting schedule, & rehearsing the supporting cast so the work of the main stars could be easily “plugged-in” to the overall story-telling…

…  Brian answered questions about HOW the cast was put together, including contacts he’d made from his years of screen-writing work in the Los Angeles area.  He said, it’s much easier (& far cheaper) shooting such a film in a small town like Grand Rapids than having to try to close-down streets & other areas in a LARGE city such as Chicago (where “TRANSFORMERS 3” is currently shooting)…

…  A POST-show Reception was held at the FORNO DIABLO Italian restaurant on Diversey.  There, besides shooting some more PHOTOS, I spoke to BRIAN, commenting on how I could see how practical it’d been to do extensive PRE-planning of his work, given the huge number of scene “set-ups” he’d done in just 14 days for the shoot.  He said yes, and it was really vital to handle it that way, enabling him to handle everything in the “madhouse” that the production shooting had to be to get everything done as they’d wanted….

…  Brian was very pleased the film --  & the Panel discussion --  had been well-received by the audience, & was particularly gratified at the way places were already showing the film [such as Comcast on-demand], & how Redbox had already ordered 60,000 copies of the film to distribute--  already putting them in the “black” for the venture!…

…  I also talked a bit to MAC, commenting on how effective I’d found the entire event to be tonite, which he was very pleased to hear…