Alan, Red, and Smitty spend high summer on the Jersey Shore roving the boardwalk and getting into trouble. But the discovery of good old fashioned treasure sets the friends on an escalating course of suspicion and violence in this atmospheric thriller.
The nearly immaculate film distributor A24 has blessed us with “Low Tide,” a cunning yet grounded crime thriller. Alan (Keean Johnson), Smitty (Daniel Zolghadri), and Red (Alex Neustaedter) are teenagers breaking into a large home making their way in and out of dark corridors with flashlights in hand. Suddenly, the homeowners return and the boys make a run for it. Smitty breaks his leg after desperately jumping from the second story balcony but fortunately manages to escape. They live at the Jersey Shore, a place most people in the tristate area only temporarily visit. Alan is good-natured yet naïve, living with his hardworking, honest younger brother Peter (Jaeden Martell). Their father is a fisherman who is absent due to his busy summer season. Red is the leader of the trio having a major chip on his shoulder and a sordid reputation. Smitty is a wisecracker who is forced to the sidelines after his fall.
The trio with Peter in tow, hang at the boardwalk and partake in some games and rides. They chastise out-of-towner yuppie kids who they hilariously call BENNYs after their respective bridge and tunnel residencies (Bayonne Elizabeth Newark New York). In the distance Sergeant Kent (Shea Whigham) keeps a close eye on the teens, knowing they are up to no good. Whigham is like an omnipresent force in cinema. If you look him up you’ll see he’s appeared in countless films and TV shows, working with almost every top tier director. His presence in “Low Tide” is the heart of the story. He treats the boys maturely and isn’t cruel, just doing his best to help them.
The boardwalk lights, swelling ocean, and its accompanying weather are gorgeously captured by cinematographer Andrew Ellmaker. I’ve never seen anyone shoot the Jersey Shore with such a loving eye. This is writer/director Kevin McMullin’s debut feature and it’s strongly astute for his initial outing. The editing is flawless with the scenes flowing perfectly, every shot somehow nicer than the last.
When a local wealthy recluse passes, the boys set their sites on his large estate which rests on a peninsula only accessible by boat. Due to Smitty’s injury, the loyal and kind Peter is tasked with being their new lookout. The heist is scored with a droning laconically cool guitar riff while the rest of the film is classically composed with warm yet foreboding strings and creeping tempos. In the house, Red discovers Cuban cigars and a revolver, whilst Peter and Alan find a bag of gold coins and a map. Alan and his younger brother decide to keep the coveted loot a secret from the volatile and unpredictable Red. Sergeant Kent arrives on the scene and they are forced to flee, Peter stashes the map and is arrested by Kent. The two sit in an interrogation room and Kent levels with him, telling him a cautionary tale how Red stabbed a boy in pool, petty and jealous over a girl. It’s a touching and earnest moment, nicely underplayed by Whigham.
Peter returns to the incredulous trio who are surprised to see him return in one piece. Alan and Peter visit the local Pawnbroker Don (Mike Hodge) and present the potential treasure. It turns out nearly all of the coins are fools gold, except for one. Upon studying the map the brothers swiftly return to the peninsula and dig up 99 more gold coins which are all genuine. With the money burning a hole in his pocket, Alan buys a nice car and Red is more than suspicious. The honor amongst thieves is put to the test.
Nostalgia has currently been the zeitgeist in media with massively popular shows like “Stranger Things” and while I understand its appeal, I find it empty. Avoiding pretension, “Low Tide” is set in the ’90s featuring exquisite attention to detail with cars, snacks, and other period-appropriate props. Refreshingly, the film’s screenplay and production design don’t constantly nudge and wink about how many references they can pack in. I love the Jersey Shore setting, I actually used to frequent near some of the area featured. Spots like Stewards and the surrounding Point Pleasant Beach are, for the most part, unchanged and retain a mid-century feel. In some parts crime, poverty, and unrequited love remain. Springsteen’s recounting of the Jersey Shore isn’t that far off from today.
Films starring kids dealing with adult themes usually don’t work for me. Larry Clarke obviously broke the mold making “Kids” and “Bully,” both movies centering on young children handling issues beyond an average child or adult’s experience. Sometimes dialogue and realism can suffer having precocious teens being the center of the action, that’s not the case here. The conversations and motivations are fully realized and don’t come off trite. There are some great lines such as “Miracles don’t happen in New Jersey.” The Jersey Shore has been the butt of many jokes and sometimes deservedly so. That being said, it’s a unique and at times picturesque destination with a dark undercurrent that is perfect for the film’s setting. Let “Low Tide” draw you in.
Available on DVD December 3rd
