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Loss of Essence is an interesting film because it was made long before the tragedy of Rust took place. In simplest terms, it is more sad than it is thrilling. Nevertheless, it is tragic in its own light which gives it an entirely new take that a lot of people enjoy. Jonathan Breaux’s directorial debut feature is indeed a tragic comedy. To add depth to their stories, the writer-director casts well-known character actors and new stars who are just about to make it big. But the question remains can he control the mood of the film to make it actually work?
Phillip Andre Botello plays Stewart a meticulous and very particular film director. Stewart does not think twice before ridiculing his production assistant Tommy (Jadon Cal) for the most minor and inconsequential mistakes. This indie filmmaker, who has made a movie about the horrors of war and lost love, psychologically damages his actors more than he should but does not give them that much trouble when they actually perform. Once Tommy finishes filming the last scene he unfurls his rebellion. He holds his film canisters hostage until he has a word with the lead actress Rebecca, and a cold drink. And why does he want all these things? Because it is hot outside.
Tommy’s tantrum ignites the already present resentment that has been building since the start of the filming. Kyle Maddox, also known as Soldier 2, loses it completely, especially when he and his colleagues are given a task to ambush Tommy. The only one appearing rational in this scenario is Eleanor, played by Jakki Jandrell, who serves as the assistant director and does anything that needs to be done to make the production successful. While she does her best to solve the emerging conflicts, every sideshow has gone to blows around her. Can the movie be saved or is Tommy going to demolish the film by exposing it to sunlight? Is Stewart just a bully or did the tension of the filming cause him to snap?
With both as a character in the film’s plot and the filmmaker behind the scenes, Loss of Essence never fails to make you laugh, proving that hiding the negligence of humanity for the purpose of showcasing art is unfathomable. Soldier 2, the director of photography, and another crew member reached a gully very steep and very deep, but deep enough and steep enough for a clean and easy climb to avoid getting dirty. Instead, they proceeded to use a tree as a bridge to cross which led to Maddox’s character falling off. To the audience and the people making the film, this moment of pure silliness does not go unnoticed.
Tension in this chilling thriller is sustained throughout, as Breaux demonstrates in an example. While shooting the last scene of the movie within a movie, the actor requests a gun loaded with real bullets. So, they get him one, but load it with blank bullets instead. After the scene is being filmed, Tommy realizes that one bullet is still in the chamber. He, however, chooses to keep this information to himself. The audience can only guess how Tommy will decide to use the gun and the bullet from here.
Botello always makes things better just by being there. The idea of Botello portraying a total jerk is so entertaining. He is simply hateable and the actor’s amazing sense of humor shines through. She is incredible, and he is cool as a cucumber, the only rational character is Jandrell. Her energy is so much fun. Maddox takes the strange turn of Soldier 2’s character arc and runs with it. He’s elusive and odd in such good ways. That character performed by Schrader is so idiotic that she could have been annoying. Instead, the actor darn near steals the entire thing. While many saw Rebecca as confused, the actress playing her made it seem like she was completely bewildered when she was told the film would take a year to finish due to all the editing and sound design that needed to be done. The missing piece to this tale is that Cal appears completely unhinged, meaning that those watching him have no clue what to expect from the next minute.
Still, there are some issues, but in terms of both comedy and action, Loss of Essence gets it right. The performance by the cast is brilliant and the bizarre leaps in the plot are engaging. This is not a perfect film, but it is thoroughly enjoyable and the last independent film enthusiasts are bound to love every minute of its 73-minute length.
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