Written and directed by Vilan Trub, two down-and-out brothers spend their days fighting over the attention of a neighbourhood girl while plotting how to rob her. Starring: Anthony Robles, Ausar A. English and Olga Elliot.
The style of Susie Q quickly feels like it’s transporting itself to another time, throwing back to cinema of the late 1990s or early 2000s. Especially with its use of black and white, feeling as though it sets itself up somewhere between Clerks and Coffee and Cigarettes. It also has that meandering movement to it, as if it’s tagging along with these characters, rather than shaping them. It does however hit a fairly specific tone, geared towards a male audience.
Especially when it comes to the dialogue, it can have that slightly misogynistic edge to it with how these characters view women. It’s fitting for the characters, but it can hit quite a few stereotypical notes along the way. Particularly when it’s bringing in characters with hyper-masculinity and bullying qualities. It all does relate back to the reckless, criminal vein that runs throughout the story but it doesn’t feel like it has a great deal to offer.
The aspect to the story which feels underserved, but had more to add, is the relationship between brothers. Their classic competitiveness and bravado pushing the boundary of their friendship. It’s a shame Anthony Robles and Ausar A. English don’t spend more time onscreen together, there’s a good bond between the two of them. Their performances are intensely youthful, a mix of arrogance and naivety, Robles’ Marty has a romantic side while English’s Cary has a roughness and bravado. Together the two of them get stuck in the typical one-upmanship.
Olga Elliot’s Susie is an unusual addition, Vilan Trub plays around a lot with the writing of her character. It’s an interesting example of perspective, how she appears or acts differently with different people. She’s another case of something that had more to add to this story than it ultimately did. There’s some good ingredients and ideas at its foundation but the story gets lost in dialogue that’s trying too hard and while it attempts to build that romantic side, it comes across more anti-romantic.
To a certain extent Susie Q feels like a film that’s outside of its time, it so strongly suits the early 2000s both in style and tone. Following the two brothers is a good setup, the directorial style goes for an on-the-street, rougher edge which is fitting. It’s just missing that edge of intrigue, the characters aren’t quite strong enough for a wandering story, and there isn’t a big enough destination to drive it, leaving it stuck in the middle.
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