Francis Juarez makes his feature-length debut as a writer and director with Crazy Texas. Co-written by Jordan Bradley and Marc Isaacs (also making their feature-length debut), the thriller starts with the kidnapping of sisters Avery (Anna Peña) and Lily (Bella Fawn Crow). The kidnapper is Trevor (Wes Gillum), who states he doesn’t want the girls’ incoming inheritance, a sizable fortune left to them by the siblings’ grandparents. If he does not want money, then what is Trevor after? How and why do the Dead Sea Scrolls play a part in whatever Trevor is planning?
Let’s get the bad out of the first thing. Crow’s performance is so awkward that it is no surprise she ends up being involved in the kidnapping. She flatly delivers her lines and projects no sense of fear when tied to the chair and is yelled at by the perpetrator. The dialogue does not help the actor at all, as Lily wants Avery to give in too quickly and do whatever is demanded. This significantly robs a large chunk of the narrative of tension and mystery. The final flaw is the cops investigating the missing Rocky (Randall Yarbrough), the accomplice to the kidnapping. They fold too easily over the slightest pushback, and ultimately, their subplot serves little purpose.
“…the kidnapping of sisters Avery and Lily.”
But Crazy Texas has a lot to recommend to it as well. For starters, Peña gives a very convincing performance. She runs the gamut of scared, confused, angry, and resigned. Each emotion resonates and feels authentic. Gillum is creepy and strange throughout, making Trevor’s odd convictions and motives believable. Yarbrough is very good as the simple and easily manipulated Rocky. He adds dimension by seemingly always trying to figure out the right thing, even if he fails to do it.
Juarez wisely intersperses flashbacks to sessions with Trevor, who is a psychiatrist, that fill in the why as things in the present intensify. It adds to the mystery and keeps the proceedings from feeling repetitive, as seeing Avery and Lily tied to a chair can only be so enthralling. The ending, while a little preposterous, works very well and is in keeping with the atmosphere the director maintains from the first frame to the last.
Crazy Texas has a handful of issues that prevent it from wowing. But as a debut film, it shows promise. The atmosphere is heavy, and the editing maintains a strong pace. The cast, with one notable exception, excels at bringing their characters to life and feeding into the mystery of it all.
For more information, visit the official Crazy Texas site.
"…Peña gives a very convincing performance."
