WRONG TURN AT TAHOE
US, 2010, 90 minutes, Colour.
Cuba Gooding Jr, Miguel Ferrer, Harvey Keitel, Michael Tighe, Johnny Messner, Louis Mandylor, Mike Starr.
Directed by Franck Khalfoun
Wrong Turn at Tahoe is a grim film about gangsters, opening with Cuba Gooding Jr as a hitman, wounded, driving in a car with his boss, Miguel Ferrer. The film then goes back to the career of the hitmen, their work for the gangster, information given by a drug addict, which leads to a confrontation with a rival gangster, played by Harvey Keitel.
While there is some humanity in the film, it is also played for violence, a film for DVD release.
1. Crime drama, familiar ingredients? Straight to DVD release?
2. The atmosphere, the drug lord and his henchmen, bars, drug dealing centres, addicts, the contrast with the wealthy homes of the drug lords? Sense of realism? Musical score?
3. The title, ambiguity of the title, the reference to Tahoe? The information about him, his death? The wrong turn for Joshua?
4. The framework of the film: the car, Vincent driving, Joshua wounded, going to the hospital, reminiscing? The end of the film, Joshua and his memories of Vincent rescuing him when he was a boy, yet shooting Vincent? What future – or not?
5. The flashbacks: Joshua as a hitman, with Mike, doing Vincent’s will? The memories of Vincent saving him, his motivation? Going to see Jeff? The information about Frankie Tahoe? Reliable or not? Going to see Vincent in the night? With Mickey, taking off the shoes, Vincent’s hostility? His wife coming downstairs? The irony of Vincent knowing that Mickey had a relationship with his wife? Their going to visit Jeff, his plausible explanations? Their going to see Frankie Tahoe, his defiance, bashing him with the bat, Vincent and his rages? Going to see his assistant and getting explanations? Going to the dump, the liaison for burying the dead, dumping the body, Vincent and his accusing Mickey, killing Mickey?
6. Vincent, his character, drug lord, his dealings, his mansion, his wife and his love for her yet his obsession? The contrast with Joshua? Not having any fixed roots?
7. The thugs and summoning them to visit Nino? Waiting outside the house and their being sprung? Nino, his personality, girlfriends, lifestyle, influence? The discussion about Frankie Tahoe? That he was one of Nino’s men? The loss of income?
8. Vincent, coming home, finding his wife dead and tortured? Grief and anger?
9. The decision to attack Nino, getting into the house, shooting down his security guards? Joshua’s fight with Stephen? The confrontation, Nino and Vincent, Nino’s death?
10. The visit to Jeff, Vincent confronting him, past friendship, Jeff lying, the $3000, his death?
11. Inviting the audience into the seedy and violent world of criminals and drug lords?
