Samuel Fransman’s crime movies in the hands of fate (2025) Busy and fun. It rolls along at the speed of a runaway train, although it occasionally pauses to review previous events. Franceman managed to “defeat” Robert Rodriguez here. He produced, wrote, directed, shot, acted, edited and cast the film. the only thing he does no do is the score. Eros Cartechini wears this crown.
*Side note: Fransman actually shares cinematography credit with four other people.*
story
Donovan Harlow reluctantly agrees to become Rocco Scolletti’s killer. His first job didn’t go as planned. He kept one witness alive. This sets off a chain of events that includes a cult and Donovan’s anger at a drug-addled witness stealing from his new boss.
Cast
Adam Joseph Turner stars as Donovan.
Keith Miguel plays Vic Giovanni.
Sofia Bianchi plays Ash Winters.
Steve Scionti plays Rocco.
Joseph Legian Slade plays Jeremiah Smith.
Megan Reynaud under the leadership of Charlotte Woolf.
Heather Bayless stars as Amber.
nod once or twice
Fransman’s love of film is evident. He manages to allow for a nod or two in the direction of other films. once upon a time in hollywood The audience nodded suddenly. Jeremiah loses control in front of a mirror after losing control of his followers. His scene is one of disappointed rage. It’s reminiscent of Rick Dalton’s angry scene in a Tarantino movie. in the hands of fate Also reminiscent of old gangster movies from the 70s and 80s.
button, button
in the hands of fate Sometimes it feels like “buttons, buttons, who has the buttons.” Rocco is on the hunt for the stolen money and the stolen killer, and is trying to solve the whole mess. At the same time, the cult was facing some serious membership issues due to Jeremiah’s focus on money.
Reluctance is a virtue
Fransman is not afraid to use standard tropes and stereotypes to tell his story. He also doesn’t hesitate to step out of the box when he needs to. His protagonist Donovan, while struggling to make ends meet, clearly dislikes his new job.
His reluctance to kill witnesses to the first attack could be seen as a virtue, but like the other characters, he’s not very likable.
Likewise, a drug-addicted woman is let go by a killer to steal from his boss. Her personality is very unlikeable and doesn’t inspire a lot of sympathy.
Reload, who needs to reload?
One of the best moments in the film is the final battle. I don’t want to give too much away, but… the amount of firepower is impressive and feels like a sly or not-so-sly dig at America’s lack of gun control. Cult members all own some kind of gun.
The only real problem here is that, like so many other movies out right now, no one reloads their weapons. Apparently, all have magical ammunition that never runs out.
sound
soundtrack in the hands of fate Not obtrusive. You can hear the actors’ voices effortlessly. Musically, every scene fits perfectly.
trick
The stunt choreography was excellent, with the actors trying to express the recoil with CG gunfire. The shootout itself? All weapons look and sound good.
Judgment
i can give safely in the hands of fate 3.5 stars out of 5. It’s very busy. There are some great moments in it that make the movie fun to watch. What’s amazing about the entire project is that its reported budget was $7,000. That’s some impressive ingenuity.
*Side note: Hats off to Heather Bayless, who guest-starred as Donovan’s ex. Joseph Legion Slade is also a treat as the cult leader, with his sugary faux Southern tones.
trailer
Relevant
Learn more from Mike’s Movie Talk
Subscribe to have the latest posts delivered to your email.
