A Fun Film Especially For Victims Of Crypto Scams
The Unexpecteds is a fast-placed, witty, and energetic independent heist-comedy that cartoonishly balances heart, action, and satire into a fun cinematic experience.
Intentionally, I did not delve into any information about this film outside of the basic synopsis provided to me by FonsPR in their screening invitation:
“The film tells the story of Gary and his friends, who have different personalities, but share a common goal: to invest in the digital currency of a famous Youtuber… who rips them off. After losing everything, including their families, they decide to join forces and do everything possible to get their money back“.
What a hot topic, I thought. Most people today have been ripped-off by another, or knows someone that has suffered a money scam… and this is even more true with the advent of “shit-coins” and other bogus cryptocurrency schemes falsely claiming to bring the same success as the real thing, Bitcoin. This comedy packs an effective punch because we see ourselves in the characters that have their lives ruined by this crypto scam.
We feel a stake in our hearts when Matt Walsh’s character Gary watches his wife and son drive away after he reveals to them that he lost the family savings.
We feel terrible for Gerry Bednob’s hilarious character Kurt, when he is hospitalized due to the immense stress of losing over $100k to the scam.
Director Alejandro Montoya Marin has pulled together a band of misfits that are immense friends and share comfort with each other. You can feel the genuine connection Chelsea Rendon and Francisco Ramos’ characters have for each other and it heightens the tension and humor when they are consistently keeping each other in check.
I loved the cartoonish almost pantomime performance of John Kaler’s character, Metal Mike. His wardrobe stylist did a great job with his ridiculous attire throughout the film.
The mysterious ex-operative played by Alejandro De Hoyas just had to have been influenced by Antonio Banderas in Desperado, with his devilish good looks, steel masculine frame, and confident firearm control… but where he really shined was with his martial arts expertise. At the Q&A after the flick, the audience reveled in Alejandro’s admission that he did much of the high flying kicks himself, sans stunt doubles. A very nice touch to the film and I personally commended the director on the outstanding fight scene choreography. Despite the comedic genre of the film, the fight scenes were on a level consistent with John wick movies.
There was no time to look at your watch during this one, due to the sheer pace. It excels in what it’s meant to excel at: laughter and action. It was exciting and I giggled a lot… although truthfully, if you’re looking for a thought-provoking film that hits deep, this is not it. For what it is, The Unexpecteds is fun popcorn action and that’s where it ends.