All That Glitters is the feature-length debut of Noah Meister. For his first outing, the writer-director takes audiences into the seedy underworld of high school. Christopher (Jack Welshons) is a quiet student who gets decent grades and has a few good friends. His job slinging burgers at Burger World, on the other hand, is a real drain, though his co-worker Jaimie (Noelle Oh) injects some fun into the proceedings.
At work, small-time drug dealer Jacob (Elijah Noble El) throws his Burger World bag full of illicit goods on the counter to order a drink. When done, Jacob takes the wrong bag, and Christopher winds up with the brick of cocaine. Christopher decides to rope in classmate Mack (Monterio Caldwell) to help sell the drugs, which is a task easier said than done. Between Jacob tracking down his property, Christopher and Mack attempting to find a buyer, and just trying to fit into school, our hapless hero might be over his head. And if Jacob ever catches up to Christopher, he might lose his head.
“…Jacob takes the wrong bag, and Christopher winds up with the brick of cocaine.”
The lighting within the school setting is very basic and dull. It is an unimpressive start for All That Glitters, though it hides an engaging journey through the dark. The best part is how realistic Christopher and his friends feel. They move, talk, and seemingly think like high school students. There’s just enough thought put in for an almost reasonable plan to emerge, but any possible consequences are never considered. This is most evident at the party that takes up the bulk of the third act as Christopher and Mack search for the house’s owner. While it sounds simple, there’s something intense about the characters’ desperation and the other attendees’ reaction to what’s happening.
Welshons is excellent in the lead role. He’s easy to root for but also believable as a determined but scared kid. Noble El is menacing and wild, bringing a true sense of danger to the film. Caldwell is also brilliant, bringing a lowkey energy that just works. Oh is quite funny in her brief part.
All That Glitters has a few technical hiccups, specifically in the lighting. However, they’re easy to overlook due to the story, pacing, and cast. Meister will be an indie director to watch in a few short years if he keeps churning out films like this with small improvements each time.
For more information, visit the official All That Glitters site.
"…Meister will be an indie director to watch in a few short years..."
