The Actor film review: A fun ride filled with depth, nostalgia and rock n’ roll
The Actor will take you on a ride that will leave you entertained and wanting to re-watch it
By Jon Stojan
The Actor is a film for audiences who crave movies from a simpler time in American cinema. This film harnesses the energy, pacing and sounds of the 90s and early 2000s with both familiar and deep tracks from the band Collective Soul pulsing through the film’s soundtrack. Characters often make references to pop culture surrounding Hollywood nostalgia during a time when theatregoers were more or less escaping their everyday lives to kick back and enjoy something different. Writer/Director Richard Blake also puts on display a clear love of classic filmmaking from even earlier times in the 70s and early 80s with long tracking shots and big sweeping panoramic transitions with little to no green screen or visual effects. In short, the camera tells the story.
“Hunter soon finds himself pushed beyond the edge of his own moral compass”
The Actor follows Hunter Durbin, a struggling compulsive “do-gooder” navigating his way through auditions, survival jobs, and the sprawling demographic of daily life in Los Angeles. The question is, does he have the edge that it takes to make it in this town? After years of bit roles on TV and countless casting calls, Hunter stumbles across a large suitcase full of money. Desperate for fame and fortune and even more desperate to pay his rent, Hunter defies his old ways and decides to keep the money for himself. The violence, stack of lies and consequential tornado that follows him are unrelenting, and more importantly, entertaining. Hunter soon finds himself pushed beyond the edge of his own moral compass and begins compromising all that he once thought to be “just and true.”
The film’s landscape evolves a bit, spanning from the iconic streets of Hollywood across the desert highway into the buzzing downtown metroplex of North Texas. There’s a playful tone to this film, with several subtle nods to both California and Texas stereotypes alike, while at the same time managing to feel like an engaging slow burn thriller. Fused together with an energetic rock soundtrack and boasting a surprise ending that pays off the film’s opening scene, the movie plays like a rock concert performance displaying both high and low tempoed hits until building up to the final act.
“The Actor explores the difficulties of staying true to yourself”
The Actor explores the difficulties of staying true to yourself and your deep rooted convictions when faced with the world’s rejection, temptation, and that age old thief of joy, comparison. Filled with an extensive cast of colorful characters and noteworthy performances from actors like Melissa Archer, Shelia Houlahan, Major Dodge, and Donny Boaz, the humor, moral conflict, and nostalgia within The Actor take you on a ride that will leave you entertained and wanting to re-watch it – if not for the further discovery of details you may have missed the first time, then perhaps solely for the soundtrack.
The Actor will be available on Friday, 5 April on major streaming services, such as Apple TV and Amazon Prime.
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