Past Perfect (1996)

Director:

Jonathan Heap

Writer (WGA):

John Penney (written by)

Release Date:

11 October 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Is the future worth dying for?

Plot:

A cop (Roberts) tries to bust a gang of teenage gun dealers. In the process he catches only one and...

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Independent Film

Cast

Eric Roberts	...	Dylan Cooper
Laurie Holden	...	Ally Marsey
Nick Mancuso	...	Stone
Saul Rubinek	...	Bookkeeper
Marcie Mellish	...	Zoe
Mark Hildreth	...	Rusty Walker
Yee Jee Tso	...	Kim Li 'Blade' Cho
Emily Perkins	...	Karen 'Shy Girl' Daniels
Tygh Runyan	...	Sid 'Skull' Vincent
Peter Hanlon	...	Lance Milleti
Adam Mills	...	Fat Kid
Sean Amsing	...	Eager Kid
Amanda O'Leary	...	Rusty's Mother
Jarred Blancard	...	Willy (Killer)
Sean Milliken	...	Crane Operator

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, drug use and language.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Color:

Color (Alphacine)

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Australia:MA | Canada:18A | Germany:18 | UK:18 (video premiere) | USA:R | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

James Shavick Entertainment

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Obvious stunt double when Sid rolls down the stairs after robbing the meth cooks.

Movie Connections:

References Maniac Cop (1988)

Soundtrack:

TALL LIKE GOD

WEAK BASICS BRING EXPECTED RESULTS.

To be successful, science fiction and science fantasy must rely, in whichever modes they appear, upon creation of a sense of wonder parented by imagination, with cinematic examples being legion, from THINGS TO COME to BLADERUNNER, but unfortunately films of this genre are too often devoid of imaginative structure. Such is the case with this low budget effort shot in and about Vancouver (representing Seattle) and featuring Eric Roberts, who has referred to himself as "the king of B movies", an infirm distinction at best, and in the event here nothing of which to be proud, with his co-leads seemingly being stunt and demolition performers. A rather disjointed plot is set in a present visited by three individuals from a near future (2023) who move into their past to eliminate crime at its source by executing criminals-in-the-making, and while one is soon aware that time travel paradoxes are rife, they are sublimated by a glut of vehicle chases, explosions, and lengthy gun fights during which injuries are scarce. There are so-called "special effects" a-plenty, not very well done, and obviously a misplaced expenditure of future resources for the lone purpose of eradicating a small coterie of four teenagers who are engaged in selling weapons to other teens, but they do provide rationale for countermeasures utilized by Seattle P.D. detective Dylan Cutter (Roberts) who moves from one crime scene to another in his personal older Chevrolet Camaro ( equipped with red light, etc.), a particularly notable feat since the car is totaled early on in a collision with an over-sized van. But then, such flaws in continuity and logic are fundamental when substitutes for imagination are wielded, as in this film that squanders talented performers such as Nick Mancuso and Saul Rubinek who are cast as two of the time travelers, along with a hearty effort by Laurie Holden, who plays Cutter's partner, to infuse her character with some depth, so that a viewer finally focuses upon the camera-work and lighting skills of cinematographer John Houtman as items of true imaginative quality.