Director: The Maze Brothers
Screenplay: The Maze Brothers
Minutes: 94
Year: 2021
Score: 6.875
Release: VOD
After finishing this film, and considering what to say, I felt that I needed to first decide on a proper budget for how many times I could mention David Lynch.
La Flamme Rouge is the story of Rick Van Pelt, played by Balthazar Getty, a former professional bicyclist whose age has taken him out of the race. His close friend Jimmy, played by Todd Lowe, lost a large sum of money betting on Rick against a steroid cartel led by Conrad Wilhelm, Clint Howard, a local artist and cartel ringleader (it isn’t too clear). After a drunken incident Rick finds himself on the run, with a bag of money and an assassin looking for him. I know, it doesn’t track well unless you are familiar with the work of David Lynch.
When I was asked if I would be interested in watching a film called LA FLAMME ROUGE my first expectation was that it was French, it is not. Then I presumed that it was a heist film borrowing liberally from the masterpiece LE CERCLE ROUGE from Jean-Pierre Melville. Then I saw the font and design on the poster and, poof, I knew I was about to watch an homage to David Lynch’s LOST HIGHWAY.
LOST HIGHWAY is a nearly perfect film. Suffice it to say that LH is the bees knees, and it will never be fair to compare LA FLAMME ROUGE to David Lynch’s film. It would be like comparing an abley build townhouse to Buckingham Palace. Sure, both are homes, but it could never be fair comparison.
What The Maze Brothers were able to do here is craft a well made indie film that kept me engaged throughout. There are plenty of nods to Lynch’s film (that was the last budgeted mention) be it the over the top characters or the occasional wippy zippy dialog.
For instance the Conrad Wilhelm character looks wacky; comically oversized suspenders, long wavy hair surrounding a bald head. Clint Howard’s performance was on the exact right level of insane to match the characterization. Balthazar Getty’s once great, but physically broken, Rick Van Pelt drips with just enough longing for his former glory that his manic, jittery, performance is right on the money.
Another aspect that truly impressed me about LA FLAMME ROUGE is the cinematography. Both the lighting and the shot design harken back to a mixture of LOST HIGHWAY (sorry, I needed another) and BLOOD AND BLACK LACE. I think that Brent Scott Maze, the co-writer/director who was also created as the cinematographer is someone to look out for in the future. He was nominated for an award for his photography. His eye for lighting a scene does well to hide some of the warts that you may expect to see in and indie production.
Nicolas Béghin, the composer, won a festival award for the score and it was very well deserved. It added more than enough to elevate this film beyond some of the more indie trappings with which I am familiar.
I know that I keep harping on the fact that this film is an indie. It is tremendously important to keep that in mind when going into this film. If it is one of your early forays into indie films beyond the likes of Wes Anderson or Paul Thomas Anderson you cannot start with the expectation of the polished quality of a Hollywood film. This is not a dig, not by any means, this corner of cinema is vital to the future of filmmaking. These need to be celebrated and not passed over.
LA FLAMME ROUGE is available on VOD to rent or own. Is it perfect? no. is it worth the 90 minutes and three bucks? I think so. If you are in the right mindset going in.
Director: 6 – Cinematography: 10 – Edit: 6 – Parity: 1 – Main performance: 7 – Else performance: 5 – Score: 10 – Sound: 7 – Story: 6 – Script: 9 – Effects: 8 – Design: 7 – Costumes: 6 – Keeps interest: 10 – Lasting: 5