TRAMPS

US, 2016, 82 minutes, Colour.

Calvin Turner, Grace Van Patten, Michal Vondel, Mike Birbiglia, Margaret Colin, Mariola Mlekicki.

Directed by Adam Leon.

This is a small film, small budget, two semi-innocents abroad. British Callum Turner plays Danny, younger son in a Polish family, his mother conducting a betting system at home. He works in a restaurant. His brother proposes a scheme whereby he picks up a case and delivers it, getting money for his brother. The contact is a woman with a green bag. Also involved in the process is Ellie, Grace Van Patten. She has a shady background.

Most of the film is about these semi-innocents abroad, Danny taking the wrong bag, trying to right the wrongs, getting the train, encountering Ellie, the finding prescription medicine and an address, they’re organising themselves to go up state, adventures in the house, taking clothes and bikes, back to New York, some doublecrossing, phone calls and warnings, Danny taking the bag, E chasing the bus and confront him, his leaving the bag and going home.

However, there are decisions for Danny, to leave home. Ellie has decisions to give half the money to Danny and go to her future. They meet up at the bus station…

1.     The title, for Ellie and Danny? Their lives, the job, upstate New York, wanderings, the future?

2.     The New York settings, homes and betting groups, restaurants and kitchens, criminal meetings? The railway stations, the trains, upstate New York, the mansion? The final bus station? The musical score?

3.     Danny’s story, his mother, Polish, the betting, his brother and the criminal connections, Danny and his cooking, the restaurant, the phone calls, agreed to do the job for his brother, the bag, going to the station, the rendezvous with the woman, the green bags, the wrong bag, the encounter with Ellie?

4.     Ellie, her background, explanations, clubs, men, connections? Her doing the job, the fee, further demands?

5.     The frantic search for the right bag, the connection with the criminals, their waiting, the prescription and the address, finding it, travelling the train, on the road, the car stopping and questioning, the mansion, staying the night in the hut, the bonding? The next day, the family going out, taking the clothes, the bikes, back to New York?

6.     The phone calls, the doublecrossing, Danny taking the bag, stranding Ellie, her chasing the bus, confrontation, his leaving the bag, her taking it, delivering it to Evelyn, finding out what was in the bag, the illustration, the payment?

7.     Danny, at home, his brother, settling down?

8.     Ellie, coming to the house, giving Danny half the money?

9.     Danny, the decision to chase Ellie, the bus station, the change of destination, the future…?