New Look for Neo-Noir: The Excitement of Mr. Weekend
By Nelson Maddaloni
Watch Mr. Weekend here.
McKenzie Woodward’s Mr. Weekend is a film par excellence. It expresses love and devotion to an oft-neglected genre. Few and far between have I seen such good Neo-Noir over the past two decades, which makes this film a breath of fresh air. As a fan of the genre, I was reminded especially of John Boorman’s Point Blank, and of John Cassavetes’s magnificent film, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie. Yet, despite the comparison, Mr. Weekend feels fresh, as if it had a voice all of its own. I suspect I will have to judge Neo-Noir differently, as this brings a tour de force independent feature that boasts an incredible cast of people of color, highlighting aspects missing in Neo-Noir that I didn’t know I needed.
The story follows a bookie named Charlie who comes across a fortune on LSD. From that point on, it becomes a rocky road for our hero. The story sticks to genre conventions, but it is given a fresh perspective by having a cast made up of people of color in a genre sorely lacking in diversity and, in so many ways, lacking the feminine touch as well. This is to say that it’s not all about Charlie. He provides a rich narrative that is so beautifully delivered to us by Willie Wright III, but the story also belongs to Nora, played exquisitely by Janelle Marie. The chemistry these two bring to the table provides for a neo-noir that is as rich as the wealth promised by the sale of contraband. The down on his luck, Mr. Wright, beaten by life but also rolling with the punches, provides wonderful voice-over narration. He brings a source of warmth, humor and genuine likability to a character that might seem easy not to root for. Instead, his charm and charisma keeps us glued to the screen. He gives a compelling performance that makes me want to see him appear in more titles. Marie, however, has graced the silver screen with a femme fatale sex worker character that is all charm and cunning, graceful and always in control of the situation. I think she clinches the film together.
Together they synthesize an engaging tug of war between love and ambition. She brings
fierce cleverness, and he brings the wit and the charm to the film. The result is a beautiful
picture that deserves praise.
Mr. Weekend is a film that loves movies and wants to celebrate our love of
cinema together. It balances itself upon the tight wire of wanting an homage without losing oneself in cinematic cleverness. In contrast to Quentin Tarantino, Director McKenzie Woodward is much more interested in subtle throwbacks, as opposed to blatant reference. When watching this film, you get the feeling that Woodward may have been inspired by the aforementioned Boorman and Cassavetes films, may also have bit of love for the early works Godard and Jean-Pierre Melville. Jean-Luc Godard once claimed that all you needed to make a movie is to have a gun and a girl. Taking this notion, Woodward smoothes out the edges and gives a powerful Black makeover to a genre that needs more diversity. I could’ve easily accepted Charlie as a private detective as much as a bookie. The personal touches are there for the genre. The doped out friend, the paranoia that follows a big score, and extremely threatening antagonists with light comical touches are all conventions drawn from a clear love for the genre that brings forth a magnificent new voice for Neo-Noir.
Director McKenzie Woodward shows serious directorial chops. The actors, leading and supporting, bring their A-game as well. One gets the sense that Woodward is either an auteur in the making or, at the very least, an aspiring auteur. I feel as if he has reached this point, and I sincerely hope that he is given due and correct exposure for this film. In particular, I was sold by the opening credit montage, with its cool as Hell jazz score and a dapper Charlie walking past as the credits rolled. This is filmmaking for film lovers, as it knows the fine line between homage and losing oneself in finding its voice. Woodward has found this voice, and I can honestly only await with bated breath for the next project by this incredible filmmaker.
Watch Mr. Weekend here.