The Two Pamelas (2016) User Reviews

The Two Pamelas

[jilldalejd · 9/10 · 14 November 2013]

The Director, Jeff Hathcock, allowed me to screen "The Two Pamelas." Without giving away the story plot, let me say that it's anybody's guess who the culprit could be in this who done it thriller! Produced in the classic film noir style, the Dutch angles and dark mood of the film is unsurpassed in modern time. The back-story subject matter is both alarming and controversial, which makes the film even more enticing. While it's true some of the younger actors have their moments, the seasoned veterans Miano and Alexander bring a gravitas to the film, which makes the characters believable and the audience sympathetic to their conflicted natures.

The cinematography is amazing. I am hard pressed to find a shot in any scene that isn't both interesting and/or beautiful. I was impressed with how the score fits the film, even though it is more modern and a combination of synthetic and live instruments.

Over all this film brings back memories of iconic classics like "The Third Man" or "Strangers on a Train" or quirky Hitchcock movies mysteries like "Vertigo." This film has that classic film noir feel, yet is color graded to a sepia tone, a brown and white, rather than pure black and white contrast; I was reminded of the David O. Russell film starring George Clooney, "Three Kings" with it's almost sepia color grading to give the viewer the feel of a dessert devoid of color. The production team did a remarkable job keeping true to the genre and even the pacing and pauses for reactions are genre specific. The camera angles make certain characters and scenes more menacing and overly dramatic, even scary, which makes this film more visually pleasing. While the film may not be "fun for the whole family" it certainly serves the needs of a niche market.

The Modern Film Noir Tale That Leaves You Wanting More

[angiequidim · 8/10 · 15 December 2013]

he Two Pamelas is a hard gritty Noir style film set in modern times where the gritty hard boiled detective aids the damsel in distress. I love this style of filmmaking because it's a throwback to some great movies and very talented actors. Our story begins with Detective Ray Galento (played by Robert Miano), who is assigned to a murder case involving controversial casting director, Burt Wald. Actress Darlene Patrick (played by Jennifer Day) wakes up in his office on the couch with Burt's cold, dead body laying there.Detective Galento delves in to the mystery and finds several suspects with very plausible motives.

The story is well written and keeps one guessing till the very end. The plot twists and turns and intrigue are masterfully crafted by the writer. Veteran Actor Macino is able to take this wonderful dialog and masterfully present it to the audience without "overacting". The chemistry between the cast worked very well which this film genre's fan base is very particular about.

Two Pamelas is also matched with brilliant cinematography from Jeff Hathcock who captured this perfect homage to Noir filmmaking. The film although set in modern times has cleverly included the all too familiar dutch angles and stylistic coloring in a different light. Some of the films scenes were colored in a sepia tone instead of the stark black and white. It was crisp and clean and each scene whisked you away to the next; never leaving a dull moment.

The film is not to be missed for fans of this genre. Unlike many modern adaptations of this style, Jeff Hathcock clearly had an understanding of what makes a good Noir film and has created a wonderful modern tale.

An excellent example of a modern film noir

[southeastclo · 9/10 · 15 November 2013]

I have previewed The Two Pamela's and can only write glowingly of it. It is like a throwback to films of the past. It just has a look and feel of a post World War II mystery. Interesting characters and a plot that is uncomfortable and yet compelling to watch. The opening credits paying homage to past film noir actors and actresses was very well done and clever. It was a reminder of the greats we have lost and the high standards that they have set for todays thespians! The acting was on spot and it was refreshing to see a movie where the actors were not mumbling and whispering their lines. One of my great aggravations of todays "actors". The score was perfect. Not over powering but noticeable where needed. The camera work and color really set the mood for this drama. The movie is visually wow! Congratulations to Hathcock for an outstanding directing job. His directing showed his love and appreciation of fine movie making.

A charming throwback to pulp LA noir

[VicBooth · 8/10 · 5 December 2013]

Fans of the hardboiled detective genre will immediately recognize the title's reference to the classic 'The Two Jakes' and the pulp novel poster. The film follows that general theme as it goes on but, by being based in the present, stays wisely in the region of homages rather than a pastiche, The same way The Big Lebowski incorporated many of the narrative tropes of classic noir detective films and still remained a relevant comedy, The Two Pamelas does the same with its visuals themes, making it a taut and, at times, brutal contemporary thriller. The sepia tones, Dutch angles and almost asynchronous dialogue are charmingly out of place in the modern setting, almost like Pleasantville.

The film follows the investigation of a casting director's murder and the various suspects that arise from it, leading to quite a gripping third act that seems almost from a James Ellroy novel. Although often conceptually unoriginal, it does manage to create intrigue where others often fall short.

The film finds fault in its digital format and texture, where some of the visuals feel incongruous with such a modern look. But at the same time, paradoxes are what makes the Two Pamelas fun in the first place. A good effort, for a low budget film.

It's a truly terrible film

[jmchoto-26212 · 2/10 · 28 March 2021]

I can only imagine the other reviews were written by people involved in the movie, because this is a dreadful film. It's shot in sepia/B&W tones in an attempt to replicate film noir, but that attempt fails. The storyline is more contrived than I can possibly explain. The dialog is stilted and unrealistic. The only person who seems to know how to act is the lead detective. Most of the cast are embarrassingly stilted and amateur. The lead actor is so excessively over the top that he makes the film farcical. The plot just doesn't hold together, and there are too many gaps in the story progression. The soundtrack is all over the place, and frequently plays through dialog. The scene cuts are clumsy. The lighting is such that what should be creating mood and suspense is just a bunch of "I can't see what the hell is happening right now." I gave it 2 stars because it's obvious someone really, really cared about making this film, but the result is a disappointing and very amateur debacle. I really love to support independent filmmaking, but the best this film can be is an example of how NOT to make films.

modern film noir is full of surprises

[michael-f-passe · 7 February 2018]

"The Two Pamelas" opens with a simple plot device - an aspiring actress passed out on a casting couch in her underwear, holding a gun, and the casting director's dead body slumped in a chair across the room. This could have been the setup for a standard "whodunit," and there are indeed lots of plausible suspects. But the film delves into some kinkier territory, and ends with a seasoning of Hitchcock. For the most part, thanks to good performances and cinematography, The Two Pamelas works.

The girl on the couch, Darlene (played energetically by late night TV's Jennifer Day), is just one of several suspects in the murder of the casting director, Burt Wald. The most intriguing suspect appears at first to be Wald's wife; that is until Wald's unhinged, Oedipally-confused son enters the picture (played with gleeful neurotic energy by Ilia Yourdanov). Nearly any explanation would by necessity contain spoilers, so we'll leave it at that.

The cinematography is one of the main charms of the film, affectionately borrowing lots of film noir conventions like so-called Dutch Angles from classics like "The Third Man" and filming in moody black-and-white and sepia tones. The musical score is from the David Lynch school of creepy minimalism. It may seem a tad derivative to some viewers, but genre fans won't mind at all. They truly don't make them like this any more.

There are some talky stretches, but "The Two Pamelas" holds your interest anyway. It has elements of a police procedural flick, with Detective Galento (veteran actor Robert Miano) working the crime skillfully. The acting is all strong. The plot continually pulls the Darlene character deeper into the mix. Miss Day, gorgeous as ever, is a revelation. She plays Darlene as nervous and jittery, like someone with a secret that she doesn't quite understand, and she plays it convincingly. Mr. Yourdanov, the other pivotal character, has a meaty role that he plays with gusto.

If you like film noir or detective fiction, this is a treat, and you don't have to travel back to the 1940's to enjoy it.