Kayden Zwicky (Silvana Arias) is invited to a meeting at a local restaurant by a friend. Her friend is cryptic and won’t reveal the nature of the meeting until a woman shows up and sits at their booth. The newcomer tells a story about a job opportunity across the border in the US and says she needs $8,000 to pay the coyote who will smuggle her. Kayden and her friend decline the woman’s request for funding and she leaves angrily. Kayden berates her friend for dragging her away from her date night with her husband, Miguel (Edwin Lagos), and leaves soon thereafter. On her way home, she gets a flat tire and calls her husband to warn him about the delay and apologize for being so late. During the course of the phone call, he is attacked by a masked man and shot. With no real leads and no help from the cops, Kayden and her sister, Julie (Melany Bennett), decide to take justice into their own hands.
The Zwickys is a resounding disappointment. I’ve never had a thriller put me to sleep before, but this film managed it somehow. It seems bizarre that someone even conceptualized this as a thriller; there are about four action sequences, an absence of gritty plotlines, and the dialogue more often resembles old Grand Theft Auto games than a movie. I was excited to see the supernatural twist, but it was supremely unsatisfying in its melodrama and unnecessary length. Despite promotional materials calling Kayden ‘strong-willed’, the majority of the film seems to be her and her sister moping and complaining about their lack of ability to do anything. Perhaps this story could have been an interesting short film, but at 101 minutes, this movie is far too long for how little compelling content it contains. If you’re looking for a thriller without thrills, look no further than The Zwickys. Not Recommended.
Where does this film belong on public library shelves?
The Zwickys belongs in bilingual drama collections.
What is the retail price and/or Public Performance License fee?
24.99/$50.00