Fix (Tao Ruspoli, 2007): USA

Fast paced and bright with a little drug dealing, “Fix,” directed by Tao Ruspoli, makes for the highlight of the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

The film chronicles a day in which two friends must get their other friend from prison to rehab by 8 p.m. the same day. Not so easy a task as one may think.

Shawn Andrews plays Leo, the drug addicted, cocky yet friendly brother to
Milo (Tao Ruspoli). Andrews brings the laughs to the situation of addiction. He plays Leo with a hilarious and snappy pace, making his addiction a thing not to be bothered with but loved. Leo’s drug problem takes a back seat to his wild antics in money making as the characters are drug into his L.A. world from the Hollywood Hills to
Watts.

Olivia Wilde (Bella) proves that the pretty face in a movie can bring something all together great. She takes her character and runs with it, dealing with Leo, often cursing while being the chauffer to the two brothers. Wilde plays the smart risk taker, usually protesting then going along, keeping the pace. She’s funny and witty and easy to love in this film.

Milo (Ruspoli) is hardly ever seen in the film due to the fact that he is directing the movie while directing the movie. He is the camera man to this series of events and he plays and works it wonderfully.

The film is shot handheld, much like a documentary, even though it’s entirely fictitious. Even the set up of the characters is that they are documentary film makers making a documentary. Ruspoli captures the sights of
L.A. in all its grit and glamour, even making the shot of a run down crack house take on a certain beauty in a twisted way. This film isn’t shot like “The Blair Witch Project” where all the camera captures is a bunch of running in the dark, Ruspoli takes his camera, shoots a situation and brilliantly places the audience in it, without the headache.

While some parts of the film may seem far fetched and over the top everything is right on and somehow fits perfectly. In other words a crazy world must look a little crazy.

After the showing and after the standing ovation form the audience there was a rare and informal question and answer with the cast and crew. People in the audience were genuinely pleased to have seen a film that was able to have been made on such a low budget yet be so entertaining and well done. In fact the Lobero theater was a little less than jam packed, with most of the seats filled.

“Fix” brings big laughs in a sad situation. It’s a film that deals with addiction, poverty and that with the support of friends and family getting somewhere is a task and a trip made easier.