The highest compliment that I can give the new film, The Red Maple Leaf, and there are in fact quite a number of things that I really found myself admiring during my viewing of the film this evening, all of which I hope I am able to discuss with this review, but the thing that I think is most evident is how much writer/director/actor Frank D'Angelo has matured both in front of and behind the screen. His last directorial effort, Sicilian Vampire, was a film that I personally had a lot of fun with. The film had a lot of laughs as well as being quite tongue in cheek with some of it's over the top and sometimes campy dialogue and storyline. It was a film that you certainly had to be in a fun and lighthearted mood to watch and anyone who likes more bizarre, or downright cult, or offbeat films would have certainly had their day made by that film, but whilst the film was over the top and campy, I still found that D'Angelo still was able to assert his own brand of storytelling and artistic craft to the film which gave it a certain uniqueness as well as making it a film all of it's own. I can recognize criticism where some say it was perhaps an act of self indulgence, or even trying to really paint a glamorous and favourable picture of D'Angelo, but I could ignore that while watching Sicilian Vampire, because the film was still an overall very fun and entertaining watch and quite frankly it is better than a lot of other films I see on a yearly, or monthly basis, so I was all for something new, silly and downright fun, even if it did at times appear to be in D'Angelo's favour, or basically trying to make him look "cool" as one reviewer put it. I knew from the moment I saw Sicilian Vampire, and have since become a fan of his weekly program, The Being Frank Show, that I really wanted to see more of him as a writer and director because the talent is definitely there and he shows much potential and I think a lot of that showed with Sicilian Vampire, but now even more so in his latest film, The Red Maple Leaf. The writing for one thing feels a lot more focused and I think D'Angelo knew exactly how he wanted to tell this story and knew where he wanted to go with it and it shows. The fact that this new film features a storyline that is compelling within the first few opening shots of the film to it's end credits is really a great credit to D'Angelo both as a screenwriter and director. The film is over two hours long, but not once does it ever feel too long, or like certain scenes could have been trimmed down, or ended up on the cutting room floor. It is quite impeccably edited and it makes for a very smooth and yet compelling film with no moments of filler, or scenes that may have just been put in there for other reasons, but everything here feels quite focused and on the mark which ultimately makes for a better looking and an ultimately more satisfying film experience. The film in some regards is a mystery about a missing girl and both as a mystery and the detective who is trying to solve the case as he unravels the pieces of the puzzle that come about from his great insight and intuition truly makes for fascinating viewing because we never once know exactly where the film will go, or who the culprit may be and it certainly is quite a fascinating and captivating two hours plus that kept me guessing the whole time while sustaining my interest of the whole thing. The other aspect of the film which is just as strong as the mystery elements and just as satisfying is the story of our main character who has just gone through a devastating loss and how it is affected him and completely changed the man who he is. Turning to alcohol and living a painful and tormented existence where his only sole means of satisfaction, or perhaps purpose is a better word, is his job and solving this case with the missing girl. We see both these two aspects of a mystery as well as one of a man who has lost everything who needs to find closure in his life and yet while on the job he is the best detective you can find and this makes for viewing that is interesting with both it's mystery elements, but also adds some very well sought out character study and a certain dimension to this and the other characters that is pulled off perfectly due to the more polished writing as well as some very capable performances. The acting this time around also feels more rounded and feels more rehearsed and more perfected than Sicilian Vampire, but at the same time, please keep in mind that these are two totally different films and each have totally differing moods and agendas. The acting is well done here though and while some performers outshine others, generally everyone is pretty good here and gets the job done right. The film also looks and feels more professional and put together and perhaps not quite as amateurish as the last outing, but I do not use this as a criticism, but again only pointing out that D'Angelo seems to have matured and grown not only as a filmmaker, but perhaps as a person as well because this is a more mature outing and also one that feels more personal and complete as a film.
Review of The Red Maple Leaf
