TRIBECA REVIEW: ‘Double or Nothing’

Double or Nothing, a new short film written by Neil LaBute and directed by Nathanial Krause, is textbook LaBute. There’s a main male character (Adam Brody) who spews some hurtful, hateful dialogue at innocent characters. In the 10-minute movie, the victims are his girlfriend (Louisa Krause) and a homeless man (Keith David).

There are some funny moments, but the entire film feels built around an idea, rather than true characters. Brody, acting against type, doesn’t seem like the racist or misogynistic type, and it’s hard to believe his lines of dialogue come with any truth. A late-stage revelation doesn’t add any catharsis or meaning behind the exercise. If anything, it cements the rather juvenile nature of the entire film.

LaBute is a master craftsman, a writer who couples provocative language with interesting, engaging characters. Double or Nothing is never difficult to endure, but it does feel like more of the same from this prolific writer. Nothing feels new or worthy of even the 10-minute duration. It plays less like a self-contained short movie, and more like a clever scene, a single patch in need of a larger quilt.

Double or Nothing ran as part of the Tribeca Film Festival’s Status Update series.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

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