Quicksand

People get into all sorts of silly situations in life.  Most of these you would think could never happen in a film or those that do make it to the large or small screen.  Weddings are harrowing enough without something going wrong, as Ray and Paul find out in the rapid-fire action-comedy Quicksand.

Ray (Tanner Presswood) and Paul (Simon Elias) are two roommates/ friends embarking on what they perceive as adulthood.  Being an adult in this world is having a ‘big boy’ job, having friends, being Loved, and getting married.  During this turbulent time, Ray wants to break up with his girlfriend and start new with his ‘super crush’ at their friend’s wedding.   Paul and Ray are both at the wedding party, and after selling a couch, they discover their buddy’s nuptial ring was lost in the cushions.   Not as simple and predictable as getting the ring back as the pair find themselves threatened by criminals, corrupt policemen, and a person who simply doesn’t want to give them the ring back.

“Ray wants to break up with his girlfriend and start new with his ‘super crush’ at their friend’s wedding.”

Quicksand features some rapid-fire dialogue like Theatrical Farce, indeed, some of the physical situations of the six-foot-plus thing Tanner running resemble moments with John Cleese.  At times the characters do physical comedy as they dive through windows, crash doors, and run across countryside and cities. Tanner Presswood and Simon Elias demonstrate some on-screen chemistry with the words and the situations, even if they get a bit odd in believability. Moments such as Paul hiding under a diner-size table while Ray tries to bumble his way out of the relationship make some go okay. The film doesn’t make use of ribald humour in the situation when a girl is sitting in a vulnerable position with an unknown male under the table, as perhaps the American Pie series would.  Other strange moments occur when Paul is shot in the arm by an arrow. He miraculously goes through a good part of the film pain and shock-free.

Quicksand has no sex/nudity yet contains some odd brutal gun battles towards the end. Those firefights while some would find it funny that random citizens pulling weapons out of purses and vehicles and opening rapid fire is amusing, it all too well mirrors the horrors of real gun violence. The portrayal of some of the people during the Police inquiries into why the shootout happens crosses the line in dark satire.

The film is, without a doubt, fast-paced and filled with interesting characters. Ray and Paul meet on their journey to get the ring back. In some sly dialogue, the two make references to Lord of the Rings and the quest for attainment.   Sharply written, this is more of a coming-of-age journey as the two confront about love, life, relationships, confidence, true love, mobile phone service troubles, and certain death.  Solid light silliness with a strong performance from the main leads with a turn-in-the-dark satire awaits all that will not make your popcorn soggy.