WATCH NOW
So Wizard Podcast has been a blast to be a part of over the years. One of the great things about working with the So Wizard crew is when creators give us sneak peeks of their projects. This indie comedy called Chasing Molly is the latest example.
Chasing Molly follows the character Molly (Shelley Pack), as a small-time conman alongside her partner Atticus (Jim Cashman). The two pose as mediums/exorcists and con people out of money. During one of their meetings, they snatch a teapot which has a new type of drug stuffed within it. This rare drug is owned by a well-known kingpin called Mr. Black (Kurt Angle).
What is done with the drugs that are located in that fancy teapot? After Molly sells the illicit drugs, she is robbed herself. Mr Black gets his hands on Atticus and threatens to kill him if Molly can’t deliver the drugs or money.
Shelley Pack is an actress, writer, and comedian who works double duty. Pack stars in and is the sole writer for the movie which is quite a challenge since Molly is in virtually every scene of the film. Pack’s character has an overwhelming amount of speech, and Pack manages to hit every single one of them perfectly. The dialogue is quick witty and incredibly clever.
Molly hops through the movie engaging with crazier and crazier characters who are bright in color and completely out of their minds. None of them fail to come up with bizarre scenarios and Molly and her brave attitude come right back at them again and again.
The emotional arc isn’t quite there with an eighty-minute run time, but that is not a big deal. The movie unfolds like a sketch comedy show in the finest form of the phrase, each interaction is self-sustaining and could serve as a clip by itself, comical on its own. Only a few jokes are slightly dragged out, and none are recycled. Every single stand-up is undeniably comical, which is the one thing to remember. My favorite gag is when some gang members are sitting down at a meeting. Rather than topping the poster with the most humorous depiction of gun-selling Ponzi scheme vertices, it cuts between mundane day jobs and the type of meetings we’ve all had to endure. It is genius, refreshing, and side-splitting.
At certain points throughout the movie, especially during the transition from skits to the narrative of the feature film, there seemed to be some polishing that the movie could use. Skits are incredibly difficult to land just right and for some reason Day coming in did feel like a switch in tone and the movie’s narrative. Felicia Day comes in as Atticus’s longstanding girlfriend. Day is a good comic maker on her own, but it kind of felt like stunt casting in a way. Her character wasn’t needed.
They lack some much-needed star power which is in no way intended to be threatening. Perhaps getting Felicia Day was an effort to bring on a larger name. A marketing decision that, while beneficial, isn’t necessary once the film is viewed. Pack is the standout. For 80 minutes nonstop, she is straight-up funny.
In the position of director, Josh Sutherland is new and has no experience, but he does have experience in the music industry. He was a visual effects editor on some big films. Looper, The Avengers, Jack Reacher.
While the comedy offsets minor mishaps, the story lacks some parts. The people who worked on this project have so much talent and do the work with so much dedication.
To watch more movies like Chasing Molly (2019) visit 123movies
Also Watch for more movies like:
