DVD Wages of Sin

This is a simple story on the surface. Two young people kidnap a young woman for ransom, but can't get the money as quickly as they had hoped. But with this simple premise a whole world of conflict and tension is created.

I was sucked in by the style and tone of the movie which reminded my of Terrance Malick's BADLANDS, in its sparse vision and the Coen brothers' BLOOD SIMPLE with its quirky dark humor. And the ending caught me completely off guard.

Although there are only three actors in the cast, they were able to hold my interest and keep me guessing as to what was going to happen next. None of the actors are household names, but should be on everyones radar for the future.

The "look" of the film is also very effective. The creative lighting, use of shadows and an overall claustrophobic feel help add to the atmosphere of the movie. The Cinematographer, Michael Franks, should be congratulated for this achievement.

This film does what so many studio movies try to achieve – create believable characters and a compelling story, but this movie does it on a limited budget, with lots of style.