Chameleon

Review by Ale Turdó

Rating: 8/10

Long road to redemption

Patrick (Joel Hogan) is a fresh out of jail ex-con trying to make a rightful living in the always struggling Los Angeles. When his former associate, Dolph (Donald Prabatah), is released from prison, Patrick is seduced once again by the sleazy crime life. The duo comes up with a supposedly easy con: Patrick seduces trophy wives and Dolph kidnaps them, asking their wealthy and neglectful husbands for some juicy ransom money.

But everything collapses when they come across a target that might turn into something more than just another con for the kind-hearted Patrick. And just like that, everything about Chameleon gets turned upside down, delivering an intriguing genre-bending that mutates into something way more complex and deeper than previously anticipated.

Marcus Mizelle’s second feature film takes you for a trip deep down L.A.’s shady reality hidden in plain sight and broad daylight, filled with misogynistic millionaires and their often-mischievous wives. Adding an unorthodox antihero to the mix, debating himself between one last big score and a solid chance to turn his life around.

As the plot thickens, layer after layer of paranoia and suspense are thrown into the mix. Chameleon’s non-linear narrative and slow-paced rhythm turns a small crime story into a thought-provoking piece that earns unexpected rewatchablity value.

Ale Turdó —Based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Alejandro is a film critic and movie enthusiast that has been writing about movies for the past 7 years, covering everything from blockbusters to indie gems and all in between. He majored in Sound Design and Cinematography in college and is a full time digital content producer. He’s the kind of guy that thinks that even the worst movie can have something interesting to write about. Additionally, he writes for Escribiendo Cine and A Sala Llena. Twitter: @aleturdo and IG: @hoysalecine