Suits on the Loose

Review #27 of 365
Film: Suits on the Loose [PG] 93 minutes
WIP: $6.00
When 1st Seen: 6 February 2006
Where Viewed: Cinemark Tinseltown Movies 14, Ogden, UT
Time: 5:00 p.m.Sometimes you just have to be lucky. Here I am traveling through Utah, and there just happens to be a new film release that is only playing in a very few places in the entire country, one of which happens to be Utah. So, I happened upon a little known feature film written and directed by Rodney Henson. The on-line press kit for the film reveals that the film was green-lighted and ultimately intended to appeal to kids 12-16 and primarily for the LDS (Latter Day Saints) market. The ‘coming of age’ film commences with Justin Boxwell (Brandon Beemer) and Tyler (Eric Ty Hodges) having been sent to a correctional camp for wayward boys in the middle of the Mojave desert. Within a matter of moments, the two boys escape, steal a truck which breaks down, and that’s when things start to get really interesting, run into a couple of 19-year old Mormon missionaries, steal their car, and assume their identities in a small town called New Harmony. It is there that they will really come of age and learn all about the true meaning of life. I appreciate that the production company, the director, and all of the people associated with this project set out to make a film that would really help show young people the light of the LDS. I believe they were well-meaning. Yet, it may well because of that goal that the film takes a few turns down the path, at least in my mind, of seeming a lot like one big After School Special—kids today don’t know about these gems. These were ABC programs put on about once month at around 4:00 p.m. They were dramatizations of current challenges teenage kids were facing in their lives. I tried never to miss one. Of course, kids today are too busy after school to rush home for a tv special. In any case, this film has a bit more action and violence than a traditional After School Special, but otherwise that’s what it reminded me of. There is a syrupy, you know it’s all going to turn out ok, everyone is going to love each other, kind of thing. I think think this film was a nice try, but it falls short in a lot of areas—weak and less-than-authentic teen dialog has not been heard since Dawson’s Creek, complete mis-match of ages of characters with action and relationships they adopt, stereotypical humor, bland cinematography. One thing it is not short on is blast from the past cameos as Fred Dryer, Robert Prosky, and Reginald VelJohnson all appear. (Remember, you can always use the Internet Movie Data Base if you don’t know who any of these people are. Here’s a hint on VelJohnson—remember Steve Erkel? Or how about the donut-eating cop from Die Hard?)

Well, if Suits on the Loose is not showing in your area, and you’d like to see it, you can visit the web site of the film www.suitsontheloose.com and request it. I have to be honest though and say that I would probably hold off. There’s not much new here in the way of learning and morals. You don’t really learn much about the religion except that the two guys pretending to be Mormon missionaries don’t know much about the religion. As for teaching wholesome values? Ok, the message is good for the most part, but I’m going to honestly say that the time would be more well spent actually sitting down and reading the Book of Mormon.