I always find it disconcerting when I run across someone who suffers from mood swings – a person who almost seems to shift from one personality to another.
“Kane” is in a whole different league. Here, we have a gangland boss who actually suffers from multiple personalities – personalities so distinct that he recognizes them not as different persons inhabiting his body, but as different bodies completely separate from himself.
Writer/director Blair Moore (“Canadian Psycho”), takes us on a ride (literally) through a day in the life of Abe (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor – “The Dry”), the gang boss, and Benny (Clayton Watson – “The Cost”), his driver and the narrator of the film. We begin with Benny in police custody being interviewed. We hear his answers to questions, but also his internal monologue which tells us much more.
Abe has three distinct personalities: his basic one, with loving wife and daughter, and daily interface with Benny as they drive around the city making calls and carrying on business; Kane (Jake Ryan), a brutal contract killer who gets his instructions from Abe; and Richard (Martin Dingle Wall), an arrogant manipulator who is breaking free of Abe’s control.
Abe decides to kill Richard, and employs Kane to do it. This is a bit complex to get your head around since the film does portray each character as being distinctly different, right down to having their own homes and connections to other people (both living and dead in the case of Kane). In fact, is it possible that even Benny is just another personality of the troubled Abe? At some point, anything becomes possible.
Despite that, this is an intriguing, well-paced film with good performances all around, and there are some interesting set pieces – like Kane methodically closing in on Richard who is off to an assignation with his mistress while also being followed by his pregnant wife, who is calling her best friend, who Richard’s mistress! Got it?
Sets are suitably murky in this noir story, and the musical score, while hardly inspired, is at least not intrusive.
This is an oddball little Australian film, and one worth spending some time with – especially if you can share it with some of your own multiple personalities.
Runtime: One hour, 30 minutes
Availability: Now on Vudu, Amazon Prime
. . .
Join us on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/itsjustmovies!