Romeo’s Distress is a refreshing small budget film about love and naivety. It is this naivety that the film’s plot draws upon. Romeo’s Distress was written and directed by Jeff Frumess.
James (Anthony Malchar) is a lost soul who spends his time crafting his own songs in graveyards, such as the annoyingly catchy “Cheesecake of Love.” We follow James’ story as he is misunderstood and becomes a victim to modern society. The first half of Romeo’s Distress is spent giving subtle hints as to his relationship (or lack of such) with Jane (Kimberely A. Peterson) whilst also suggesting he’s a persistent stalker. We get a clearer picture during a scene in which James gets a little too intimate with a piece of fruit.
As his first credited role, Anthony Malchar plays the awkward loser role excellently and is one of the highlights of the film. His performance throughout the movie is solid and, at times, feels like he is the only one making an effort to portray his character with feeling. It’s a shame that some smaller roles in the movie weren’t as polished. Almost to the point of a high school drama production.
There’s an element about Romeo’s Distress that is incredibly intriguing. Perhaps the illusion of his relationship with Jane leads the viewer onto feeling that the film has more to offer. However, the film has a tough initial ‘breaking in’ period, with the first thirty minutes a bit slow and stale. Director Jeff Frumess (his feature debut) likes to use music slightly too often to pass through scenes, although very little is happening on screen. Our misguided protagonist is hard to follow at times as his creepiness overshadows his naive, geeky side. This made it incredibly difficult to feel his loss during the film.
We learn that James has no real relationship with anyone, he cares for his Grandmother, who barely acknowledges his existence. His only relationship is with his eccentric Uncle Elmo, who gives James a piece of advice he takes a little too literally, using a stolen box of chocolates as a metaphor for taking love at all costs.
What made this movie refreshing for me was its style and execution. The film is mainly black and white with the occasional scene, depicting James’ fantasy with Jane, in very bright colours. There’s moments when Romeo’s Distress shows it doesn’t take itself so serious, with the obvious inclusion of “Cheesecake of Love” and other comedic moments.
What surprised me is that the film tried some very difficult scenes on a very low budget/skeleton crew. What they achieved was quite something. On a budget of less than $2,500, and just a two man crew, they manage to pull off some creative scenes toward the end of the film.
Romeo’s Distress is the definition of indie thriller, tight budget and tiny cast, yet what they have created with this is incredible. The film has gone on to win Best Screenplay in a Feature at the 2017 Macabre Faire Film Festival, and was also nominated for Best Feature, Director, and Actor (Jeff Solomon).
If you get a chance to check this gem out, don’t pass it up.
