Déjà Vu: The Conundrum of Cassie is written by, directed by, and stars Cybela Clare, who also produces and co-edits alongside fellow producer Michael Slack. Cassie (Clare) is a well-known true crime podcaster living in Manhattan. Her current investigation involves a rash of recent murders by a person she’s dubbed “the Wheelchair Stalker.” The nickname comes from the fact that the victims all have stab wounds on the belly, which strongly suggests the perpetrator was sitting down.
Things become personal when Cassie’s singing teacher is murdered. As she’s entering the building, she notices two shady-looking people leaving. Stumbling upon the body, Cassie calls the police and meets Detective O’Shea (Erin T. Allen). As the cops look into the killing, Igor (Lazar Karov) and Natascha (Margo Goldstein), the shady couple from earlier, discover who the only witness (Cassie) is and steal her beloved parrot, Rainbow. Why did the Russians kill the singing teacher? How do the serial killer and the bird-napping tie together? Why are all the accents cartoonishly bad?
The answer to that last question is because Déjà Vu: The Conundrum of Cassie is a comedy in the most farcical ways imaginable. The film opens with Cassie singing her Dolly Parton-inspired song, and it is some of the worst singing in cinema history. Don’t worry; the poor quality of the singing is a plot point. The accents are so over-the-top that they enter spoof territory. Luckily, the cast’s commitment to such ridiculousness is infectious, and it keeps the whole thing quite amusing.
Cybela Clare as Cassie and Erin T. Allen as Detective O’Shea unravel the absurd mystery at the heart of Déjà Vu: The Conundrum of Cassie.
“…the shady couple from earlier, discover who the only witness is and steal her beloved parrot, Rainbow.”
Comedy and thrillers share one crucial trait: timing. Thrillers need to keep the tension high, and most humor hits the hardest when queued up to hit at the exact right moment. Unfortunately, at 2 hours, some scenes go on too long or are superfluous. For instance, Cassie will tell her therapist, Dr. Strauss (Herbert Gould), about this or that thing she uncovered. The therapist tells her to go to the police, so Cassie does and repeats the same information just given. This happens more than once, meaning the momentum comes in fits and starts.
That is too bad, as a lot of Déjà Vu: The Conundrum of Cassie is very funny. The absurdity of Cassie being involved in so many murders and pet-napping cases is a great gag. The science behind a ticking box and its effects on metal provides some amusing wordplay and visual humor. The accents, as mentioned, are a source of nonstop amusement. The cast, starting with Clare’s 100% committed performance, is fantastic and always funny. Additionally, the reveal of what’s happening with the “Wheelchair Stalker” is so ridiculous that it’s hilarious.
Déjà Vu: The Conundrum of Cassie is slight, but it is a ton of fun. Yes, the repetitive nature of sequences means it feels longer than it is. Still, the movie is amusing, thanks to the ridiculous tone and excellent cast.
For more information about Déjà Vu: The Conundrum of Cassie, visit Cybela Clare’s site.
"…a ton of fun."
