Damaged Goods doubles as writer-director Daniel R. Ferrell’s feature-length debut and an expansion of a short the filmmaker made in 2021. The hard-boiled detective tale begins with P.I. Charles Harlan (Darius Wallace) getting into a fight and speaking with the police. Then the story flashes back 30 hours to where and how all the trouble started.
Charles is settling into his office when Michelle (Rekeitha Morris) waltzes in. She’s in a tizzy because big-time gangster Mr. Bone (Kenon Walker) has kidnapped her daughter. Why? Well, because the teenager is slated to inherit a lot of money once she turns 18, and the mob boss believes that the dough is his, as her dad worked for him. Charles reluctantly agrees to take the case, which is his first mistake. As the private investigator asks around and gathers information, he discovers lies, danger, and close personal ties to his former life as a detective with a badge.
Damaged Goods is a throwback to a style of filmmaking that’s gone by the wayside for the most part. The P.I. who’s quick with a word but quicker in action? The femme fatale who knows more than she initially lets on? A big bad who is just in for themselves? A dark and tortured past for the hero? Ferrell happily trots out every expected trope, but with a modern twist. However, it would ruin the fun to say much more, as spoiling a mystery is never a good thing. Please note that, yes, the archetypes are present, but with a few modern adjustments to make them more compelling.
“Charles is settling into his office when Michelle waltzes in.”
Part of that is due to the acting, mostly. Wallace is great and sells the broken angle well. He sells the action the best he can and really seems like he might shoot first and ask questions later. Walker is fun as the main villain and comes across as crazy enough to be dangerous. Morris is believable as the heartbroken mom/widow. However, the attempt at an accent at the end is laughable and unnecessary.
Unfortunately, the sound design and mix of Damaged Goods are not good. Every punch and kick sounds like it is coming from behind the action somewhere. The sound never matches up with the visuals and never seems to originate from the spot of the action. It is very distracting and never improves throughout the 69-minute runtime.
The flipside is the cinematography. The film may be low-budget, but it looks cool. Neon lights bathe everything in flickering colors that set the mood. The framing and blocking play with shadow and what is and isn’t in frame. The editing also keeps the pacing chugging along wonderfully, and there’s virtually no fat to trim.
Damaged Goods is a good debut from Ferrell. While the sound mix requires improvement, the filmmaker knows how to craft a stylish shot and evoke a mood. The story is basic for a noir, but still intriguing. The characters hit the expected cliches but then upend them at points, making for a different kind of noir without reinventing it.
For more information about Damaged Goods, visit the Flexauteur Productions site.
"…it looks cool."
