I love it when I find a movie I have never heard of, and it turns out to be good.
Video X: The Dwayne and Darla-Jean Story would have you believe that you are watching actual events from a video shot by a couple from Kentucky. You aren’t, but the film does a damn good job making you think you are. Dwayne and Darla-Jean are starting a new life and heading to Little River, and are video taping the escapade. While at a campground, they are robbed and all of their money is stolen. They are nowhere near their destination, and Dwayne refuses to go back home, and be ridiculed for failing on day 1 of their journey. They resort to stealing from a convenience store, and the plan goes horribly awry, and their vacation becomes a completely different kind of road trip. I will summarize no further, so as not to ruin the pleasant progression that occurs.
I have yet to see a film shot in this hand held video style, ala Blair Witch Project, that successfully has me believe that the character(s) filming would not at some point stop filming as the events that are transpiring become bigger than them, and they should perhaps focus more on surviving than taping. This film is no exception. However it is the most realistic film of that style I have seen. There are no credits. At all. It just starts right in with the video until the tape runs out and then cuts to black. Not even a title card. The camera goes back and forth between Dwayne and Darla-Jean and even Billy, someone they pick up at a diner. The video is quite random in that it will just cut to another shot, sometimes in rapid succession. There are even a few shots of a birthday party that the couple were taping over.
I don’t know if Joey Gibson (Dwayne) and Michelle Moretti (Darla-Jean) improvised their parts at all, but they were both fascinating to watch. At no point did I think I was watching them “act.” It was literally like watching their home video. Unfortunately, no one in smaller roles could really act so it sort of ruined that effect, but overall, it did not detract that much from the film. Most of the smaller roles were confined to the beginning of the film so as it progresses, you forget about those performances. Dwayne’s transformation was absolutely believable and almost hypnotic. You see a complete journey from care free, to timid and frightened but somewhat in control, then losing all sense of hesitation and crossing that line that we wonder how ever gets crossed. Gibson plays him perfectly; panicked and making poor decisions under pressure. Just trying to accomplish one goal, and doing what he needs to do to make it happen. It was a great inside look at how someone gets to the point of doing things they never thought they would do. There are also genuinely funny moments between Dwayne and Darla-Jean that let you know how much like us they are. They even get engaged to be engaged, which makes you want things to turn out well for them.
I think what impressed me most about this film, is that there is nothing in it that would make it great. There are no special effects. There is no soundtrack. I mean, comparatively, these aren’t Oscar worthy performances (or are they?). It came out after Blair Witch, so the idea isn’t new. It just exists. And yet I was quite impressed and pleased with it. This is a perfect example of how to make a decent film on a slim budget. I mean, it makes sense, doesn’t it? You want to make a film about a southern couple who end up as killers, but you don’t have a lot of money? Give the camera to the actors. Have someone stand in front of their victim so you don’t have to show that much blood. Have something happen a little off camera if you can’t realistically show something happen.
Again, at some point, as I usually do, I said out loud, “Why are they still filming?” I don’t think you can really successfully make a film like this that would not have you ask that, but Video X came damn close, and even though I did, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Very much recommended.
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