Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Klepto Is a Gem, April 27, 2006
I have never bothered to write a review before, but this movie really struck me, and I thought it deserved promotion. What makes this movie unusual is that (1) the editing and sound are extremely clean, clever, and perfect and (2) it is distinctly uncliche in a way that strikes you as so fresh and natural (without any feeling of TRYING to be original) -- for example the climax to the little love scene: delightful, audacious, and perfect. In short, a gem.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific debut film, March 30, 2006
A self-assured debut film from director and co-writer Thomas Trail, Klepto tells the story of Emily, an obsessive-compulsive young woman who shoplifts to escape the drudgery of her temp job, only to become involved with Nick, a department store's head of security, whose criminal past has caught up to him, forcing him to enlist a reluctant Emily in his plan to rob the store where he works.
A deft blend of substance and style, the briskly-paced, consistently engaging dramatic thriller/character study boasts strong, nuanced, sympathetic performances from leads Meredith Bishop (Emily) and Jsu Garcia (Nick), as well as memorable turns from supporting players Leigh Taylor-Young, as Emily's shopaholic mother, Henry Czerny as the oddly-affable, ultimately sinister drug kingpin Ivan, and Michael Nouri as Emily's serene shrink.
Director Trail proves equally adept at staging and shooting his scenes as he does eliciting compelling performances from his actors; the shots are artfully composed and Trail's judicious use of camera movement enhances the narrative drama, particularly in the film's climactic sequence, told mostly via one long, audacious Steadicam shot (that owes as much to Trail's staging as to Bishop's acting).
Klepto's thriller trappings -- theft, drugs, criminals -- belie its complexity; themes of absent parents, mental illness, family dysfunction, surveillance, and consumerism, combine with Trail's well-drawn characters, snappy dialogue, unexpected plot twists, and assured, energetic direction to make a fresh, often funny, and consistently entertaining debut film.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Much better than I expected, November 5, 2008
After having seen two really miserable crummy indie films back to back, I was really surprised by how good Klepto is. Thomas Trail co-wrote, directed, and edited the film and has done a great job. The editing is very crisp. He gets solid performances from all his actors, and the writing is overall very strong. Sure, there are formulaic elements here--guy gets in way too deep owing a crime boss a whole pile of money, for example (the most obvious formula issue)--but this can be forgiven because of all the other strong elements of the movie.
The premise is original--a girl in her 20s is a kleptomaniac and meets a security guy of about the same age who, rather than punishing her when he catches her stealing stuff in the store where he works, hooks up with her for more than one reason. The girl's mother, played well by Leigh Taylor-Young, lends just the right element of emotional superficiality to the proceedings to add another interesting part of the story.
Overall surprisingly very good and recommended.
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