Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: TENDER [Dances With Films LA - Los Angeles, California - Virtual]
The idea of a heist or a caper revolves around the level of danger or trust that surrounds the lead characters. In “Tender” [Closing Njght/Feature], it works mostly as a two hander between the always interesting Jess Wexler and Jesse Garcia as Billie and Mick, a couple on the outs per se who are pulled together by the one thing that should tear them apart: money. They find a stash in a house that was supposedly left to Mick by his uncle. But some bad decisions and county taxes throw their domicile in jeopardy. Mick is the less likable character just because of certain decisions and Garcia needs to take that on the chin while Wexler is painted much more vividly but she is narrating the story (which again might point to an unreliable narrator).
The couple are surrounded by a sea of would-be lovers and friends who should be helping them in some way but have something to protect or hide of their own. The story is not as intricately structured though as might be described. The couple is sort of clueless in how to go about with their underhanded dealings and other threats…but that is because they are normal people just trying to figure things out with no experience in this underworld. It is not that they are dumb, just inexperienced...and Wexler and Garcia play that well along with the aspect of whether or not they trust each other. David Koechner plays a third party baddie that seems overly zealous. Now that might have been the direction but one action tends to unravel if and who he might be working for when there is actually another party in play. The resolution seems earned but is a little incomplete (and requires a lot of luck). But the reality is that Wexler really sells it giving off a Julia vibe from "Ozark". But sometimes life is just chance and these two play that edge with a bitten lip. B
By Tim Wassberg
