An engaged Hollywood agent receives a mysterious letter for an anonymous sexual encounter and becomes ensnared in a sinister world of lying, infidelity, and digital data.
With an endless deluge of superheroes and reboots, I’m thanking the film gods for Jim Cummings (Writer/Director/Editor). A DIY filmmaker, Cummings impressively works outside the Hollywood system. He does this via crowd-sourcing and independent research, relying only on himself. This time teaming up with fellow Emerson graduate, PJ McCabe (actor/writer/co-director), the screenplay takes on fears brought on by Cancel Culture, the grifters and liars middle manning Hollywood into oblivion.
Cummings previously dissected the limitations of authority in “The Wolf of Snow Hollow.” “The Beta Test” swaps out inept cops for equally inept Hollywood agents, part of a system that uses and abuses people. “The Beta Test” aesthetics: desire, dark thoughts, a gorgeous woman from the past, rooted in classic Film-Noir Thrillers with a touch of Horror, but it is also funny as hell. Cummings and McCabe mention “Chinatown” and “Eyes Wide Shut” as influences – I saw shades of Hitchcock’s “Vertigo.” Instead of government agents or mobsters breathing down the lead’s neck, the judgmental internet is the all-knowing, all-powerful institution.
“The Beta Test” opens with a God’s Eye view of smoggy Los Angeles, a sprawl of highways and headlights. Jordan (Jim Cummings) is an agent obsessed with his appearance, especially his vampiric smile with tiny fangs. Instead of remembering his client’s or anyone’s name, his catchphrase is “There’s my guy!” “There he is!”. He’s been five years sober and currently practices basic Chinese phrases to draw potential Chinese investors into his talent agency. One day he receives a purple envelope, inside an enticing letter beautifully monogrammed with a promise of amazing, anonymous sex. Jordan is engaged and rather than do anything than think of his upcoming wedding or fiancé’s feelings, he accepts the invitation. At dinner, Jordan is enamored by a gorgeous blonde woman with a killer smile, eyebrows, and makeup. He can’t stop thinking about her. Further drawing on the “Vertigo” motif, solid greens and reds show up in various places (together they form the envelope).
Giving in to temptation, Jordan checks off his wills and won’ts on the sexual invitation. Outside a hotel room the following day he dons a pair of purple blindfolds and stumbles inside. After his successful tryst, Jordan is hooked and grows impatient each day with the empty mailbox. A new assistant, Jaclyn (Jacqueline Doke), causes Jordan much ire but also necessary comedic lines. As he begins to obsess over identifying the hot date, he takes all sorts of humorous and drastic measures. The most obvious callback to the Noir genre is when he pretends to be a Private Eye.
While Cummings and McCabe’s script is satirical it is not reductive, they rightfully skewer the Hollywood system and make a statement on conformity. As one character says, “If you step out of line, you’ll pay for it.” Quite a feat to move through genres so smoothly, Cummings also pulled this off in his last film. There is a lot to cover with agents, toxic systems, and a growing conspiracy, but, most importantly, it is supremely entertaining.
Now playing in Select Theaters
