The Midnight Man

Good movies keep you wondering what will happen next in them. First-time, feature-length director D.C. Hamilton's tongue-in-cheek thriller "The Midnight Man" does an exceptional job of not only mystifying you but also defying your expectations. The Brinna Kelly & D.C. Hamilton screenplay concerns a singular sort of mob enforcer named Grady who feels no pain whether he is being struck or tortured by his adversaries. As the eponymous hero, Will Kemp is witty, debonair, and loquacious, without being mealy-mouthed. Kemp has appeared in a few big studio theatrical releases, including "Step Up 2 The Streets," "Van Helsing," and "Mindhunters." More recently, he had a part in "The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power." The dialogue that he spouts isn't the typical tough guy stuff. Indeed, he resembles a cross-between of Roger Moore and Roger Davis. This exciting 103-minute movie borrows elements from "The World Is Not Enough" as well as "The Usual Suspects." Like the James Bond villain in 007 escapade "The World Is Not Enough," Kemp's character Grady suffers from a real-life disability known as Congenital Insensitivity to Pain Anhidrosis (CIPA) so doesn't feel a thing. He handles firearms well and radiates a charisma that makes him both amusing as well as dangerous. Hamilton and Kelly pit him against a dastardly villain as deceptive and duplicitous as murderous Keyser Söze in "The Usual Suspects." Remember, Keyser Söze succeeded in pulled the wool over everybody eyes when it came to shielding his identity. "Midnight Man" enemy Hamilton and leading lady Brinna Kelly have cooked up a slick little yarn on a low budget with nearly unknowns, and "The Midnight Man" qualifies as above-average crime melodrama from its awesome opening scene right up to its surprising ending. British hardcase actor Vinnie Jones and veteran character actor William Forsythe emerge as the most prominent thespians in the cast. Co-writer Brinna Kelly plays a paramedic who is on her first street assignment when she encounters our hero at a dead man's house. Just when you think that you have the plot figured out, Kelly and Hamilton pull a fast one on you. I thoroughly enjoyed this literate, nimbly-paced crime thriller with a sense of humor. Doug Jones is memorable as a Hannibal Lector type killer who loves to torture his victims, and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" actor Brent Spiner is almost unrecognizable as Grady's crime boss named Ezekiel.

This film tells the story of a man who cannot feel any pain due to a generic condition. He becomes a successful crime gangster as a result. One day, he is sent to kill four of his own mates, and everything breaks loose. "The Midnight Man" is an action film with a twist! It is such an obvious choice for an action film in retrospect, and the idea really works. Why I haven't seen films like this, I do not know. The main guy, Grady, is real tough but he is also sensitive. His relationship with Zan is convincing too. They are both very good, and make the film more enjoyable and convincing. It has a lot of fights and action, but it doesn't appear senselessly violent. I enjoyed watching it.

I can't see any reason why DC Hamilton and Brinna Kelly aren't household names yet. Both of the films I've seen that they've worked on together - this and "The Fare" - are outstanding in both writing and low-budget directing. I'm sold; they are both the real deal. This is an excellent little crime drama with a cool, unusual hook to it. Hamilton knows how to get good performances out of actors, which is not as easy as it seems. And the art of making a tiny budget look great on screen is pretty rare too. This film definitely pulls that off. Finally, let's especially hope that Brinna Kelly gets a lot more writing work before she's pulled in to full-time acting. She's obviously good at that, with a glamorous look and compelling personality, but she's an even better writer. Original story ideas combined with compelling characters - that's a rare thing to come by these days. This is highly recommended.

Grady (Will Kemp) is a hit man, one with a genetic condition where he doesn't feel pain. I watched the film cold so my initial discovery of this was very entertaining. Unfortunately the manufacturer has made it part of its standard description/spoiler. This would have made a great hit-man film in itself, except they opted to semi-cure him while on assignment. He is attempting to kill people while he is struggling with being able to feel pain and pleasure for the first time in his life. Brinna Kelly plays the required "hot Asian chick" in modern films. She is an EMT. The plot has some continuity issues that most of us will ignore. I would mention them but it would include end point spoilers. There is a cameo by Vinnie Jones which I wish would have lasted longer. Grady has a great sense of humor and his condition is shown as being and asset, which is not really the case, but just go with it, Unfortunately once Grady is "cured" the film's mood and comedy falls off a cliff in spite of the meager attempts at EMT humor with correctly placing a drunk passed out woman in the "recovery position." Worth a rental Guide: F-word. Hot Asian sex. No nudity.