Lost Angelas

In 2003, writer-director Matthew Parkhill made his feature-length debut with Dot The i. The twisty romantic thriller, which stars Gael García Bernal and Natalia Verbeke, was not well received by critics upon its release. It also did not bode well at the box office, even when one considers its very limited release. I for one find the film to be an underrated gem. The two bait and switches, while straining credibility, give the movie infinite rewatchability to piece everything together. After watching William Wayne’s stylish Lost Angelas, it seems that perhaps there is another Dot The i (yes, the I is lower-case) fan out there after all.

Jake Hart (William Wayne) is an aspiring screenwriter, who currently works as a bartender. After meeting event promoter and would-be actress Angela Rose (Korrina Rico) at a coffee shop, he finds the energy and passion for writing again. The two begin to see each other, eventually getting engaged. This happy occasion coincides with a big break for Jake’s latest script, as producer Walt Warshaw (Jon Jacobs) wants to meet with the young man.

That screenplay, about famous former actress Angie Malone (Charlotte Lewis), who may or may not have faked her death, was written with Angela in mind as the lead. Jake is running a few minutes late to his meeting with the aggressive producer and is told he is in the editing bay. Once Jake reaches his destination, he witnesses Walt kill two people. Jake helps to get rid of the bodies in exchange for fast-tracking the project and Angela must star in the film.

“…when the time for Angela’s reappearance grows near, she can’t be found. Did the plan work too well? Or, as Walt keeps insisting to an increasingly confused Jake, Angela wound up dead?”

After the movie is completed, the critics love it, yet an audience is not showing up. Devising a life imitates art scenario, Jake suggests Angela skip the next few awards shows; for all intents and purposes, she will have disappeared. The scheme works, drumming up publicity for the movie, on top of all the awards its star is garnering. However, when the time for Angela’s reappearance grows near, she can’t be found. Did the plan work too well? Or, as Walt keeps insisting to an increasingly confused Jake, Angela wound up dead?