This tightly woven psychological thriller set in the desolate Smokey Mountains involves a volatile city boy, Grady (Ross Beschler), who becomes the proprietor of a resort lodge while a roguish young local, Beetle (David J. Bonner), schemes to take over his life.
Flight of the Cardinal (2010)
Imdb user
Flight of the Cardinal is character-driven mystery/thriller with Hitchcockian undertones. Set in the North Carolina mountains, it features Ross Beschler as Grady Wilson, the manager of a small bed and breakfast, and David Bonner as Beetle Hobbs, a local with devilish intentions. The plot unfolds to discover a tattered love story, a shamed personal history and a psychopathic villain.
Although screened at many LGBT festivals, the film does not have an overbearingly gay theme. I applaud director Robert Gaston for making a film featuring gay characters without feeling the need to exploit stereotypes or differences. Grady’s sexuality was a small part of who he was, and that was evident as the plot unfolded, but he was not defined by his intimate relationship. Instead, Beschler portrayed Grady as a man of determination, strength and perseverance, even as he was losing himself to neurosis and mental torment.
In his first featured role, David Bonner provides a strong and fearless performance as Beetle Hobbs. The devious character is contradictory to Bonner’s boyish looks, but his charm and style provide an instant uneasiness that is felt from the first scene.
The film is not without its faults. The scoring stands out only because it clashes with major plot points. The storyline is somewhat rushed. The cuts sometimes feel jumpy, but they smooth out after the first 20 minutes or so.
Overall, the film cast and crew should be commended for putting together such a quality film on a very low budget and a tight timeframe. The actors, many appearing for the first time on film, gave the audience a wonderfully enjoyable and thrilling ride.
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