******** On April 20th, as part of our local film festival (the Palm Beach International Film Festival in West Palm Beach, Florida), I got to see "Kill Me Later"--on the big screen. I saw the movie listed on the festival schedule, and since I had been wondering if I would ever get to see it, was thrilled. Luckily, it was on a Friday night and the theatre was right the street from where I work. Could it have gotten any easier? :-) Aside from Brendan being the main reason I wanted to see the movie, I enjoyed the whole story--it's pretty funny and everyone in it does a good job. It's obviously a "little" independent movie, but was done with a lot of care for the story and characters, I think, which are very important elements for its success. The rest of the crowd with me seemed to really enjoy it, too, laughing in all the right places. I wish it would get wider release, it deserves it at least as much if not more than many films out now in local theatres.

I'm going to make some general comments about Brendan and his character, then I'm going to be specific, but I'll put in a 'spoiler' warning. The basic premise of the movie is Selma Blair plays Shawn, a Goth bank teller who, because of several bad things in her life, decides to kill herself by jumping off the roof of the bank where she works (did I mention it was a comedy?). On the same day, 3 guys (Charlie (Max Beesley), Billy (Brendan) and some guy I can't remember the name of, sorry) decide to rob the bank, but botch it up. During the their escape attempts, they go separate ways--Charlie goes to the roof, finds Shawn, takes her hostage--but she wants to die anyway and asks Charlie to shoot her. He refuses, but they make a deal, if she lets him use her to get him safely out of the bank, he'll 'kill her later'--hence the movie title. The rest of the movie is about their different stories of how they cope with being on the run, and Charlie and Shawn fall in love (only in the movies :-)

Brendan as "Billy" is a guy who I thought of as "pretty" and "pretty dumb," and I say that last part fondly. Billy's just not too bright, but he's sweet and likable, though he tends to think with a body part other than his brain ;-) Brendan gets to play a character very different than "Michael" here, and he does a great job--"Billy" gives him the opportunity to take some chances and let himself do stuff that may not make him look cool, but are true to the character, and I have plenty of respect for him and his talent for being willing to fully commit to the role and not hold back. "Billy" isn't much for having a decent job or having any ambition and who has gotten himself into trouble (probably not for the first time), but Brendan found the good in him and shows us more that he's a real person with a decent, courageous side, and is also funny and ultimately loyal. I hope Brendan keeps taking roles like this, they will keep him stretching and challenged as an actor, and we'll have fun watching. :-)

Spoilers ahead --

This movie is pretty funny, and a lot of that credit goes to Brendan as Billy: Charlie and he are in the car (btw, Billy is the wheel man for the bank robbery), getting ready to go the bank to rob it. There's no gas in the car, Billy was supposed to put some in, but he spent all his money on his stripper girlfriend--this after Charlie finds a bra in the car and flings it at Billy in disgust. Charlie digs out some cash for Billy to get gas in the car before the job, but before he lets Billy take it, he says: "Billy, repeat after me-- 'masturbation is good, women are bad." Just hilarious, but remember that line, it comes back later but with a completely different emotion attached. After the botched robbery, Billy is the only one who gets away to the appointed rendezvous point. The other guy is captured and Charlie's on the run with Shawn. Poor Billy, waiting in the van for hours and hours, gets more and move nervous and has various appropriate reactions for someone like Billy: he cries hysterically, runs in the bushes and throws up, twice, and all of it is played for laughs, though Billy's pretty freaked out. Brendan plays the scene *perfectly.* Charlie has told Billy before that his girlfriend is just with him for the money they're going to get--Billy believes that she really cares about him, and that the money doesn't matter. It's a fun scene at first when Billy goes to her, wish there had been more to it, it's sexy, too. But it comes out, when he says that the money's not there, that Charlie knew best. Billy's girl gives him the shove, she doesn't want him if he can't support her dreams of being rich. When he finally meets up with Charlie again later on, poor Billy is very sad. He tells Charlie, "You were right, Charlie, masturbation is good, women are bad." It's still a great, funny line, but the way Brendan plays it, he speaks softly, there are tears in his eyes and he looks forlorn that someone he really cared about in his own way would only want him for his money. You don't laugh, you just feel sorry for him. :-( It's sad when he says goodbye to Charlie, too and leaves.

I really, really liked this movie, more than The Forsaken. Billy isn't a big role, but a good one and a good choice for Brendan. Definitely rent it, and if you can see it on the big screen, go for it!

Kill Me Later Gallery

Directed by
Dana Lustig

Writing credits
Annette Goliti Gutierrez
Dana Lustig

Cast (in credits order)
Selma Blair .... Shawn Holloway
Max Beesley .... Charlie Anders
O'Neal Compton .... Agent McGinley
Lochlyn Munro .... Agent Reed
D.W. Moffett .... Matthew Richmond
Brendan Fehr .... Billy
Tom Heaton .... Jason
David Adams (VI) .... Ara Alex Zahara .... Officer Larry
Keegan Connor Tracy .... Heather (as Keegan Tracy)
Pam Hyatt .... Lucy
Stacy Fair .... Elizabeth Richmond
Marcel Maillard .... Lyle Holloway
Keith Gordey .... Elevator Cop
Dana Lustig .... Suzan Holloway
Sarah Chalke .... Linda
Mecca Menard .... Molly

Produced by
Simon Abbott (supervising producer)
Richard Finney (II) (producer) (uncredited)
Marie Giroux (associate producer)
Terence Michael (producer) (uncredited)
James Shavick (producer)
François St. Laurent (executive producer)