Concealment (2001)

I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive when David Stewart first sent me a copy of Concealment, even though I greatly enjoyed Lethal Force, the other indie flick that got sent to me for my 'seal of approval.' What if I was completely nonplussed? Sure, I can be cruel to those productions made by people I will probably never meet and whom I know won't care what a piss-ant review site such as mine says about their magnum opus, but what about someone who had actually e-mailed me and spent money sending me a copy of the tape?

Needless to say, my fears were pretty much ungrounded. Despite a micro-budget (according to a slip of paper inside the box, this film was made on $450), David makes the most of things and, despite some rough edges with the technical aspects and the acting, creates a film that is more entertaining than many films I've seen on a budget ten times what he had.

The plot itself involves an 'average Joe' named Brad who works a crappy job for crappy pay under a crappy boss. He instantly falls in love with a young woman named Pia and, although they quickly start up an ideal relationship, Brad gets a bit concerned about Pia not fessing up about her past and background, especially since armed thugs led by a frightening Anthony Hopkins-lookalike have started pursuing her.

I think one of the reasons I found this film so interesting is that it was filmed in Charlottesville. I live about an hour away from that city, and also I go there every weekend to do research at the University of Virginia to conduct research for a book I'm working on (which, sadly, has nothing to do with b-movies.) It may be goofy to admit, but I couldn't help gawking at the screen and saying to myself, "I've been to that apartment building!" or "I've stupidly walked up and down that street, trying to remember where I parked my damn car!" The camera frequently lingers over Charlottesville and other regional marks, showing that David Stewart has almost as much affection for Charlottesville as John Waters has for Baltimore. It might just be a plus for a 'local' such as myself, but it was rather nice seeing a small city getting the same careful treatment as New York City or Washington D.C. It was also fun to see a director, despite this being a 'serious' film, who enjoys throwing out a visual gag for the audience now and then, such as the anti-theft sticker on the car Pia effortlessly steals.

My biggest qualm is with the script. Despite the casualness and realism mixed into their dialogue, the relationship between Brad and Pia, on which the entire film hinges, is the weakest aspect of the film. Their development as a couple is rushed from the get-go, starting with an awkward scene of them just suddenly meeting on the street and striking up a conversation. While this may have been intentional, it was still jarring. Before we know it, they're in bed together, and Pia is pregnant. We don't see any real evidence of their relationship growing, only occasional highlights, which makes the fact that Brad is willing to risk his life for this woman harder to swallow than it could have been.

Otherwise, this is a surprisingly well-made film and a promising start. Here's hoping we'll hear more about David Stewart in the future.

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