Releasing in select theaters and VOD on January 20th, “Out of Exile,” written and directed by Kyle Kauwika Harris, is a standard “one last job” criminal thriller that manages to become something more. It sets its own style. It’s indie through and through; and while it borrows notes from films like “Fargo” and “Den of Thieves,” it also borrows, fittingly, stylings from Antoine Fuqua and its own lead actor’s — Adam Hampton’s — past film “90 Feet from Home.” It’s thrilling, at times, and other times dramatic. It’s a thieves’ film that makes you root for the thieves. And while the script is overstuffed at times, it works. At the conclusion of “Out of Exile’s” 1 hour and 47 minutes, I witnessed and end I didn’t see coming, and was affected more emotionally than I expected.
Director Harris is from Oklahoma, and it was interesting the film is set there. It’s also interesting that Harris layers this town with a criminal underbelly that has its secrets and keeps them. So many films about the Midwest stereotypically shoot flyovers of plains and oil pumps, their protagonists country folk with simple lives. But here Harris makes it exciting. Its opening, featuring an armored car robbery, is thrilling, made more so by the strained brotherly bond between Hampton’s Gabriel and Kyle Jacob Henry, who plays his younger brother, Wes. Gabriel’s just been paroled from a 16-year stint in prison (old habits die hard), and Wes is on his first job since returning from a tour in Iraq. The job’s supposed to be simple; but given Wes’ anger issues and PTSD, it’s no surprise it goes bad, placing a pair of FBI agents (Ryan Merriman, Karrie Cox) on their trail.
Of Brotherly Bonds of All Shapes and Sizes
The strong suit of “Out of Exile” is the bond between Gabriel and his fellow thieves, and the way Harris builds Wes and Gabriel’s relationship throughout. Hampton has some great scenes with Jacob Henry and Wilson Navas, who plays fellow thief and Gabriel’s best friend Marcos. Gabriel and Marcos want to move on from crime to a better life, whereas Wes expresses frustration at working for minimum wage in the local garage, sweeping floors, after serving his country. Jacob Henry’s Wes is a loose cannon. We see this best in the opening scene as he psyches himself up for the job the way a boxer would, or the dead look in his eyes when low-lifes in a bar check out his girl (Rebecca Bartlett). He’s a bomb waiting to explode, and Jacob Henry brings a palpable tension to his scenes. He’s clearly giving the role of Wes his all.
One of the film’s other strengths is Ryan Merriman, who brings just what you’d expect from an FBI agent, but he has fun with him. His character, Agent Solomon, loves being a cop, and loves interrogating and ‘good cop/bad copping’ perps even more. It’s fun to watch him work, even though sometimes — especially towards the third act — he has less to work with due to the overstuffed script. Some side cops are added in a twist I didn’t care for, and the film lacks the kind of morality play that often exists between cops and thieves in films like this — films that have the cop understand (and possibly respect?) the criminal on a personal level (see “Gone in 60 Seconds” or “Honest Thief” for examples). I’m not blaming Kyle Kauwika Harris, but perhaps bringing on a second writer would have padded and ironed out some of these issues.
An Exciting, Thoughtful Heist Movie
The movie layers itself with the addition of Hayley McFarland, who plays Gabriel’s daughter, Dawn. She’s in an abusive relationship that adds some emotion and arc to the story, and her scenes with Gabriel are at first terse but later sweet. There’s also a confrontational relationship between Gabriel and a criminal named Rader (“Training Day’s” Peter Greene), who is the polar opposite of Gabriel. They have history, but Gabriel is the kind of thief who means well but just can’t get on the up-and-up, whereas Rader is the mean kind who will slit your throat despite you. There’s two scenes in question — one as he sets up a character for a later double-cross — that let me know how cold he really is.
While there are some criticisms here, mentioned above, what I appreciated was how the film felt solid, and the film’s third act, involving a second heist, felt thrilling. There’s not a lot of breaking it down-type stuff like in “Ocean’s 11,” but I still felt what was at stake for Gabriel and the others. The end is rife with twists and turns, and carries with it a feeling of tragedy we don’t normally see in standard heist pictures. Some of it is predictable and some is not; but I found myself emotionally affected by it, a credit to the writing by Harris and the acting by Hampton. The latter is no surprise, and “90 Feet from Home,” mentioned above, remains to this day one of my favorite indie film experiences.
‘Out of Exile’ is a Solid Film
All-in-all, “Out of Exile” is a solid movie worth watching. It’s not a movie trying to make a social statement, but just a well-thought and often-exciting picture about a group of thieves and the kind of life that can lead to. It has thrills, but it also has introspection and heart. It’s more somber than is customary in films such as this, but in a way that sets it apart. Its closing shot is pensive, and leaves you guessing after the credits role. Its set design, costuming, and score elevate it, making this town feel lived-in rather than just a prop. If you get the chance, give the film a watch. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but has fun with it, and is solidly worth the effort.
Fun fact: Jake “The Snake” Roberts, ex-professional wrestler, stars in this film. See if you can spot him without looking up the credits. You can watch the trailer for “Out of Exile” by clicking here.
“Out of Exile” is available to watch in select theaters and on VOD starting January 20th.
