|
Steel Toes
Reviewed by Elliot V. Kotek
(available on DVD from Monterey Media)
Writer/Director: David Gow
Starring: David Strathairn, Andrew Walker, Marina Orsini, Ron Lea
Taking his play Cherry Docs, Gow transforms the story for the screen with an immediate, visceral visual display of violence. The outward display of physical force cements the neo-Nazi protagonist in the role of unrestrained brawn to be pitted, from that point forward, against the mental acuity of David Strathairn's Danny Dunkelman - his Jewish, legal-aid defense attorney for whom this case represents the truest test of his inner strength, compounded by being constantly challenged by those closest to him.
That Strathairn's Jew is depicted as strong and uncomfortable with his predicament, and not weak in the face of this particular adversity, is a relevant and atypical choice. Similarly, Walker's cerebral sharps make the match-up much more interesting than the simple brawn vs. brain battle so often presented to film audiences. Gow has written Walker's character - Michael Downey - well, and he recognizes his bind with wit from the get-go, saying to his Jewish defender, "In an ideal world, I'd have you eliminated. In this world, I need you more than anyone."
Gow uses flashbacks to inform Dunkelman's backstory and prove his Judaic provenance; while unnecessary, they are few and far between enough to cause minimal disruption in this adaptation. The acting supplies the movie with its core, and what is essentially a two-handed play is kept sharp and short in its incarnation as film. In terms of storyline smarts, Gow's film ends where it starts, with questions to be answered and issues to be explored. Shot in 17 days, Steel Toes is an admirable effort, and could find itself a worthy home on classroom curricula as a sure-fire critical conversation starter.
Photo courtesy of Monterey Media. |
|
|
