THE DARK END OF THE STREET (2020)

Written and Directed by Kevin Tran
Starring Scott Friend, Brooke Bloom, Lindsay Burdge, Jim Parrack, Anthony Chisolm

Residents of a suburban community enjoy a night at home with their friends and family, while an ominous threat looms just outside their doors.

The Dark End of the Street is a slice of life ensemble narrative following a group of neighbors over the course of one night as a deranged man (Rod Luzzi) stalks the area killing pets. The neighbors are Jim (Scott Friend) and Patty (Lindsay Burdge), a newlywed couple about to have their first child, Jim’s friend Richard (Jim Parrack), Marney (Brooke Bloom) a lonely woman whose cat was killed and her elderly neighbor Ian (Anthony Chisolm), a young Korean family (Daniel K. Isaac, Jennifer Kim, and Kasey Lee) and a group of skateboarders.

From there the film moves at a leisurely pace, jumping back and forth between Jim partying to avoid the looming responsibility of fatherhood, Marney grieving for her dead cat and opening up to the elderly Ian, the skateboarders skating around town and rehearsing with their metal band. As Jim stumbles home drunk from the party and the skateboarders plan to go out for a late night session, the deranged pet killer prowls the streets and the stories collide.
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Writer/director Kevin Tran creates a mosaic of interesting characters, embodied by a strong ensemble of actors who create genuinely poignant and memorable moments here. The standouts being Brooke Bloom, Anthony Chisolm and Jim Parrack. Unfortunately, the narrative doesn’t culminate in a satisfying way and we’re left wanting more. But nevertheless, the rich performances on display are more than enough reason to give this one a look and to keep an eye out for Kevin Tran’s next project.

3 out of 5 stars

Review by Kyle Hintz

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