- New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
The Lone Gunman
- Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
The Crow: Wings of Isaiah
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Saturday, July 31, 2021
On Location (Season 20 Round 1)
- New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
The Lone Gunman
- Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
The Crow: Wings of Isaiah
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Box Office Breakdown (Season 20 Round 1)
Budget: $33,000,000
Total Box Office: $46,360,158
Total Profit: -$19,110,404
The Lone Gunman
Budget: $54,000,000
Total Box Office: $125,527,314
Total Profit: $9,972,066
The Crow: Wings of Isaiah
Budget: $69,000,000
Total Box Office: $158,439,039
Total Profit: $2,905,395
Box Office Facts
Boys of the Bayou
Two of the last three season opening films have lost money for the studio. Last season's debut film, Task Force X, obviously made a healthy profit, but Season 18's opener The Vegan Movie 2 lost a similar amount of money to Boys of the Bayou.
The Lone Gunman
While this film made a profit, writer Harmony Winters' previous film lost a good amount of money for the studio. The writer's total profit between the two films now stands at -$31,228,927.
The Crow: Wings of Isaiah
The two Crow films from writer Jacob Jones and director Sam Raimi have now combined for a total box office gross of over $306 million and a total profit of just under $10 million.
Genre Rankings
Boys of the Bayou
Drama: #149
Musical: #10
The Lone Gunman
Action: #136
Thriller: #27
The Crow: Wings of Isaiah
Action: #127
Supernatural: #7
Season 20 Round 1
Total Box Office: $330,326,511
Total Profit: -$6,232,943
Season 20 Totals
Total Box Office: $330,326,511
Total Profit: -$6,232,943
Season 20 Box Office Summary
1. The Crow: Wings of Isaiah - $158,439,039
2. The Lone Gunman - $125,527,314
3. Boys of the Bayou - $46,360,158
Friday, July 30, 2021
Release: The Crow: Wings of Isaiah
Genre: Action/Supernatural
Director: Sam Raimi
Writer: Jacob Jones
Based on the comic characters
Cast: John Boyega, Ian McKellen, Lili Simmons, Josh Hutcherson, Logan Lerman, Megan Fox, Kiefer Sutherland, Santiago Cabrera, Shirley Jones, Algee Smith, Zoe Bell
Budget: $69,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $72,000,107
Foreign Box Office: $86,438,932
Total Profit: $2,905,395
Reaction: This sequel grossed a bit more than The Crow: Resurrected, but it also cost a good chunk more which cut into the profits a bit. All in all though, it is a profitable franchise for writer Jacob Jones and director Sam Raimi.
"John Boyega offers the film some star power after his Green Lantern turn, but he doesn't offer much else to the film. He is constantly over-shadowed by the other characters in the film and his performance pales in comparison to Adam Driver's take in the preceding film." - Chris Knowles, TV Guide
Last Resort Films Jukebox: The Crow: Wings of Isaiah
1. "Save Me" - Skillet
2. "Livin' La Vida Loca" - Ricky Martin
3. "The Pretender" - Foo Fighters
4. "Dance For You" - Beyonce
5. "One of a Kind" - Breaking Point
6. "O Fortuna" - Carl Orff
7. "Psychosocial" - Slipknot
8. "Va Pinsiero" - Verdi
Thursday, July 29, 2021
Now Showing: The Crow: Wings of Isaiah
The Crow: Wings of Isaiah
Genre: Action/SupernaturalDirector: Sam Raimi
Writer: Jacob Jones
Based on the comic characters
Cast: John Boyega, Ian McKellen, Lili Simmons, Josh Hutcherson, Logan Lerman, Megan Fox, Kiefer Sutherland, Santiago Cabrera, Shirley Jones, Algee Smith, Zoe Bell
Plot: September 1st, 2005:
Several knocks on the door are heard, followed by some gunshots. Police are called in to investigate the premises, asking those who saw what happened.
October 30th, 2011:
Inside an extravagant churchroom, several men and women gather, awaiting for the arrival of their leaders. To much pomp and circumstances, two elderly people dressed in white step out. They introduce themselves as Judea (Ian McKellen) and Mary Porter (Shirley Jones) and call for the meeting to order. After reading a verse from the Bible, they discuss the departure of Ezekiel Martel (Algee Smith), all lamenting his 'treacherous decision'. Moses (Kiefer Sutherland), the strongest of the group hopes to one day find him and purge his sins. The second order of business, Moses reveals that one of their good friends has discovered the holiday known as Devil's Night. The very mention of it terrorizes Adam (Logan Lerman) and Eve (Megan Fox), siblings of the Porters, not only for it's perverse, unholy nature, but as they've heard, once a year, a mysterious figure named The Crow (John Boyega) rises from the ashes, taking revenge on all who have done him wrong. Judea remains calm, confident that he can be useful if he remembers who killed him. He nevertheless insists everyone remain vigilant in case. The Crow is an unpredictable creature. You can never tell who you're going to get.
At Diego’s Yard, the bar is a buzz with people excitedly gabbing about what they’ll be doing this Halloween and dancing to the latest tunes. Diego (Santiago Cabrera) stands by the cashier, seemingly minding his business when he sees his friend Elizabeth enter alongside a new man. Elizabeth introduces him to Andrew (Josh Hutcherson), her new boyfriend. The two shake hands and the three talk about what they’ve been up recently. To Diego’s surprise, Elizabeth has been discovering religion, specifically Christianity. She promises to still attend Devil Night events when they happen, even if it’s not as frequent as they used to be.
Suddenly, Diego realizes that it’s been two years since The Crow last appeared. Andrew reveals that he’s heard the story of The Crow. Every year, on this day, The Crow makes his return, bringing a spirit back from the dead to get revenge on the person or people that have wronged them. He remembers hearing about Troy and Sparrow, expressing his condolences. Elizabeth and Diego begin to wonder, could The Crow make his return? And if so, what will he be like? No two Crows are alike after all. Diego jokes that as long as he doesn’t hit him in the face with a kendo stick like last time, they’re good.
As the three toast to a happy Devil’s Night, a crow flies among the skies, coming across a cemetery and landing on the tombstone of Isaiah Mondale. A hand pops out of the grave and a body pops out. He wanders around the cemetery, confused. He follows the bird until coming across what used to be his house. He enters, seeing how desolate it has become before looking out the window. A flashback shows a teenage Isaiah finishing his homework when the doorbell rings. He rushes to the door, opening it and finding his best friend Ezekiel with a look of distress on his face. Isaiah asks him what’s wrong and is surprised when Ezekiel points a gun at him. Ezekiel lowers his head, shooting his friend in the face and killing him.
Horrified, Isaiah looks around the house for weapons, finding several knives in the kitchen and a gun by the table. He picks it up, sensing it’s similarities. He realizes that this is the same gun Ezekiel used to shoot him and puts it by his pocket. He walks inside the bathroom, donning the facepaint and trench coat that has become synonymous with his namesake. One look in the mirror makes it clear. Isaiah Simmons has become the next to take the mantra of The Crow. His mission? Find Ezekiel Martel and kill him. He heads out the door, heading into the dark streets of Detroit to find his former friend and murderer.
Inside another house not too far away, Ezekiel is gathering weapons as well, as well as a handbook and several notes he has jotted down. All of a sudden, the door breaks open. Ezekiel picks up a gun, preparing to defend himself until he takes a closer look at his assailant’s face, finding that he looks exactly like the friend he shot. Isaiah Mondale. Ezekiel tries to reach out, but The Crow lunges toward him, rocking him with several punches before pushing him to the table, getting out a gun. Ezekiel begs him to stop so that he can explain, revealing that he was set up by someone else.
The Crow lets him go and sits down, listening to Ezekiel explain the story of Isaiah's murder. In flashbacks, we learn that Ezekiel and Isaiah, much like Troy and Sparrow were best friends. In their teens, both became very interested in a religious group called The Judean Court. At first, Judea and Mary seemed very open to both, but after doing a background check, they found that Isaiah was 'impure' and capable of sin. When they applied to join the Court, Ezekiel was accepted while Isaiah wasn't. Ezekiel tried to defend him but failed. One day, Moses told him that he needed to prove his allegiance and pressured him to kill Isaiah. Intimidated, Ezekiel did what he was told.
He stayed with them for six years, yesterday being his last day. He exclaims that it is not a benevolent group of Christians. It is a religious cult that believes they are acting on behalf of God. He has seen men get beaten, women tortured and innocent people killed because 'God willed it'. And he couldn't take it anymore. His family practiced Christianity, and if they saw what they were doing, they would convert immediately. Sympathetic to his plight, The Crow apologizes and offers his assistance. The two shake hands, making plans to meet tomorrow morning. Just outside the house, Moses has been watching fervently, a knife in his hands.
The Crow heads outside when he is ambushed by Moses, viciously stabbing him with the knife. To his shock, it has no effect. The following battle that ensues is one-sided as The Crow is a step ahead of Moses. The Crow picks up his own knife, preparing to stab Moses only to see him run away. Ezekiel rushes outside, having seen the fight, amazed that The Crow remained unscathed. The Crow tells him that it's how it works and encourages him to speak to Diego. When asked how he knows him, he explains that the spirit of The Crow is connected to everyone who the bird brings back. It tells them everything about those who once gained its powers and their memories.
The next day, Ezekiel goes to Diego's Yard, finding Diego dressed as The Phantom of the Opera and asks if he can speak to him in private. The two head outside where he tells Diego that The Crow came back yesterday and beat up a member of the Judean Court. He tells him his story, leaving Diego with traumatic flashbacks of last time. He asks if he comes in peace, Ezekiel assures him that he does. Relieved, Diego offers to look up the Judean Court and find out their weaknesses, much to Ezekiel's delight. While he has him, Diego then asks a personal question explaining that his friend has been acting weird lately. For whatever reason, she's been more religious, more conservative, and has a morally superior vibe to her. Ezekiel struggles at first but suggests asking if everything is alright.
Ezekiel begins to head home for the evening when he sees a woman sitting on the sidewalk, crying. Concerned, he walks up to her and learns that her boyfriend has dumped her on the street. Ezekiel offers to walk her home and the two go hand in hand. Standing from Ezekiel's roof, The Crow decides to follow them and see what happens. As they continue walking, the woman reveals she's been doing some charitable work at a prestigious organization. When asked what it is, she asks Ezekiel to close his eyes and leads her inside a building.
Ezekiel opens his eyes, finding himself cuffed to a chair. The woman reveals herself to be Eve and tells him she liked being around him. She says Judea has given her the freedom to express her faith as she pleases and urges Ezekiel to give up his crusade and rejoin his brothers and sisters. To sweeten the pot, she begins to perform a striptease right in front of him. Ezekiel tries to escape, but cannot. Just as Eve strips to her lingerie, her brother Adam flips a switch
shocking Ezekiel with a painful jolt. Adam laughs at his misery before slapping him across the face. Before he can shock him again, The Crow breaks in and throws a knife right at the eye of Adam. As he screams out in pain, The Crow fights off Eve and breaks the cuffs off Ezekiel's hands, the two escape from the church. Soon after, Judea and Mary arrive at the scene, seeing the damage done to Adam and Eve and angrily call for vengeance.
Upon getting to Ezekiel's house, The Crow warns him to be careful. Like he said, The Judean Court can suck you back in at any time. Ezekiel promises and watches as The Crow goes off into the night. The morning after, Judea and Mary announce the punishment of Adam and Eve, Judea motioning for her to follow him in his room. Mary assures Adam that she'll be alright after he teaches her how to be a 'good lady' and watches as Moses forcibly takes him away. Suddenly, the door opens. The metallically-clad warrior Susanna (Zoe Bell) blesses Mary, claiming to have been listening to what 'he' has told her. She tells Mary of the plan and is given the task of defeating The Crow. When Moses returns, Mary informs him that Judea has a special task for him.
Diego sits on a chair outside his porch, trying to reach Elizabeth to no avail. Wanting to take his mind off this, he goes for a walk down the street until he accidentally bumps into Andrew. As the two chat, Diego asks Elizabeth has been doing alright. Andrew reveals she has never been better, having announced her retirement from modeling. Diego expresses his shock, questioning the decision, saying it's her dream job. Andrew insists that she's doing what she thinks is best and asks him to trust him. Despite his reluctance, Diego takes his word on it and bids him farewell. As Andrew walks down the street, he is suddenly hit by a fast-moving vehicle. Having seen it unfold, Diego gets out his phone and takes a picture of the man who drove the car before calling 911.
Later that day, Andrew awakens inside the hospital, seeing Diego stand by a doctor and lets a tear-stricken Elizabeth hug him. Diego tells him of the car crash and that he saw a man that looked similar to Moses do this. To their surprise, Ezekiel and The Crow enter the hospital, having heard the news from Diego. The Crow shares his condolences and offers to heal him immediately if he can tell him about the Judean Court. Andrew accepts the deal and touches The Crow's hand.
The group sit down at the waiting room where Andrew claims to be a cult historian, having researched some of the most despicable cults and leaders in history, none more so than The Judean Court. They are a radical Christian organization that want to transform America into a dominionist nation. Being Christian himself, he finds them extremist and a threat to society. Alas, their weakness is hard to decipher, which is why they've grown so much. He hopes The Crow can figure out a way to defeat them.
Suddenly, the door opens and Susanna swarms over the group, pointing her sword at The Crow. The Crow stands up, accepting the challenge and the two head outside. Susanna puts up the best fight out of anyone in the Judean Court, her conditioning nearly matching that of The Crow. But him being impervious to pain always leaves her so close and yet so far. Nearing defeat, Susanna finds an opening when she spits his bird companion standing on a tree. She manages to distract The Crow so she can aim her sword towards the bird. Before she can do anything, Ezekiel runs out, shooting Susanna with his gun multiple times. Frightened, the bird comes close to his companion as if to tell him what happened. The Crow tells Ezekiel that The Judean Court must've learned that if his companion dies, so will his powers. The rest head out, surveying the damage. The Crow invites everyone to Ezekiel's house tomorrow, fearing that they are on the brink.
The next morning, The Judean Court hijacks broadcasting stations across Detroit, showing themselves on television. Judean gives a eulogy for their friend and devoted ally Susanna and declares war on The Crow and his group of friends for their actions. To add to the drama, Judean claims to have acquired a 'raven' in the ranks. Watching from Ezekiel's house, Diego throws a fit over the news when Andrew and Elizabeth (who at this point looks nothing like she used to) enter. Diego charges at Andrew, accusing him of working with Judea. Ezekiel tries to calm everyone down to no avail. Suddenly, Elizabeth snaps at Diego, accusing him of being against her and her relationship with Andrew, claiming to be truly happy for the first time in her life. The Crow stops her, sensing something wrong. Elizabeth dares him to show her and he puts her a sleeperhold, looking deep into her mind.
Judea sits by his throne when Andrew walks in and proudly tells him that he has managed to get to Elizabeth and assures him that she'll be here shortly. Judea reminds him to keep his shtick of being a cult researcher going when Elizabeth enters. He puts on his benevolent expression, welcoming her to The Judean Court and gives her a tour. Over the next few days, she is tortured by Eve, beaten by Adam, Andrew and Judea and 'cleansed' of her 'sins'. When The Crow puts her out of the hold, Elizabeth stares at Andrew like a wounded animal and begins to hit him in rage. Realizing he has been exposed, he rushes outside the house, fleeing from the scene. With tears in her eyes, Elizabeth turns toward Diego, apologizing for everything and burying the hatchet. The four begin to think of ways to defeat The Judean Court.
That evening, The Crow sits on top of the roof of Ezekiel's house when his bird companion flies off, guiding him to the streets where he sees Judea. Claiming to come in peace, he tells The Crow that tomorrow evening they are to duel at his tombstone, calling it a Duel of Death. All weapons are welcomed. The Crow accepts the challenge and asks if he knows what he's doing slaps in the face of good, honest folk who represent his religion. Judean suggests that they see God's words differently and wishes him luck.
Among a stormy evening, The Judean Court stands by Isaiah's tombstone. As Moses sees lightning, they watch as The Crow leads his troops to battle. The two groups stare at each other eye to eye, waiting for someone to make the first move. Judea looks up at the sky, crying out "FOR SUSANNA!", and causing the court to charge after The Crow's group. It isn't long until The Crow's group gets the upper-hand however as their leader manages to heal his allies every chance he gets.
The tide really begins to turn when The Crow pins Moses to the tree and stabs him in the head with the knife, cutting deep to get as much blood as possible. From there, it's a bloodbath. Adam's skull gets cracked after Ezekiel throws him onto a tombstone and shoots him in the back, Elizabeth strangles Eve, punching her face repeatedly until she is unconscious and among it all, Mary flees the scene, wanting no part in it.
With numbers dwindling, Judea sees the crow on top of the tree and orders Andrew to kill it. Diego manages to tackle him before he can fire his gun. The rest of the group take turns beating down Judea until he is coughing up blood. He begs them all to forgive him as he has sinned himself. The Crow refuses, citing the damage he has done to everyone physically and mentally. He slits his throat and watches Judea bleed.
Seeing Judea dying, Andrew breaks free and rushes to him, tears in his eyes. In his dying breath, he tells him to let God control his fate. Andrew looks up at the tree and in a fit of rage climbs up, aiming his knife at the back of the bird. Everyone tries to stop him, but to no avail. Andrew grabs the bird by the throat and hails The Judean Court before stabbing it repeatedly. Ezekiel watches The Crow look on in horror, feeling his powers diminishing with every moment. Desperate, he rushes toward Andrew, shooting him with the same gun that ended Isaiah's life all those years ago. The bullet lands on Andrew's heart, killing him instantly.
Ezekiel rushes to The Crow, watching as his spirit begins to fade away. He begs him not to leave but The Crow tells him that it's time. The Judean Court is no more. Not wanting to be without his friend, Ezekiel takes his gun and shoots himself in the head. With his last few breaths, he tells Isaiah that he loves him and the two pass away. Elizabeth offers to take Ezekiel to a hospital while Diego stays behind, putting Isaiah back in his grave. A few days later, a funeral is held for Ezekiel. Elizabeth and Diego sit together, looking at each other and holding hands. Whatever happens now, they're in it together.
End Credits Scene:
Twenty Years Ago:
In the chilly streets of London, a crow flies among the gray skies before swarming down to a cemetery. It wanders about before finding a tombstone of someone named Anton Dermon. It flies up to the tombstone, tapping it several times. A hand pops out soon after. The Crow it seems has risen again.
Resume: John Boyega
Season 8
Director: Gareth Evans
Writer: Jack Ryder
Budget: $100,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $55,802,334
Foreign Box Office: $76,921,777
Total Profit: -$80,090,489
John Boyega's first LRF role was not a memorable one, with a supporting villainous role in the box office bomb (still one of the biggest in the studio's history) and critically derided Blue Heat.
Season 9
Director: Josh and Benny Safdie
Writer: Chad Taylor
Budget: $28,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $31,932,789
Foreign Box Office: $27,113,602
Total Profit: $8,097,891
The very next season, Boyega followed up the disappointing Blue Heat with a starring role in the Midnight Cowboy remake, American Dream. While critics were mixed on his performance, he found himself nominated for his first GRA - sharing a nomination for Best Starring Couple with his co-star Alden Ehrenreich.
Season 17
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Writer: APJ
Budget: $230,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $588,297,023
Foreign Box Office: $793,148,767
Total Profit: $594,795,040
After a handful of seasons away, John Boyega returned to LRF with a bang playing Green Lantern Corps recruit John Stewart. The film was a mega-hit at the box office and even found itself nominated for 5 Golden Reel Awards - including a second Best Starring Couple nomination for Boyega - shared with star Tom Cruise.
Up Next: Boyega doesn't have any announced projects at this time, but his Green Lantern Corps contract allows for him to appear in any number of DC Comics Universe productions, so we could be seeing him again some time in the near future.
Review:
- Highest Grossing Film: Green Lantern Corps ($1,381,445,790)
- Most Profitable Film: Green Lantern Corps ($594,795,040)
- Most Awarded Film: American Dream (2 Wins + 3 Nominations)
- Best Reviewed Film: American Dream (Metascore: 76)
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Release: The Lone Gunman
Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Doug Liman
Writer: Harmony Winters
Cast: Chris Evans, Ruth Wilson, Jason Clarke, Karl Urban, Giancarlo Esposito, Diane Guerrero, Diego Luna, Rodrigo Santoro, Elias Janssen, Gavin Drea
Budget: $54,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $76,521,854
Foreign Box Office: $49,005,460
Total Profit: $9,972,066
Reaction: While only a minor success at the box office, it is a drastic improvement over writer Harmony Winters' first film - The Past Before - which lost over $41 million at the box office last season.
"While the overall plot is highly redundant, there are a handful of really effective individual scenes. I would have liked them to add up to something a little more original as a whole, but I'll take good scenes in an okay movie over bad scenes in a bad movie any day." - Sean Williamson, Toronto Star
"The usually kinetic Doug Liman was an inspired choice to direct this slower neo-western thriller. That said, the film just didn't quite hold together enough to work though. It bobs and weaves too much for its own good." - Lisa Winger, Newsday
"Chris Evans gives a convincing performance in his first LRF vehicle in many seasons. His hero is surrounded by the usual motley crew of underbelly characters - including a scene-stealing Jason Clarke." - Bruce Vickers, Baltimore Sun
Top 10 Round 1 Soundtracks
Top 10 Round 1 Soundtracks
10. Princess Natalie
9. The Devil's Passage
8. Morrissey and Marr
8. Orchid
6. Boys of the Bayou
5. Outlaw Country
4. Bunker 17
3. Swim Through the Darkness
2. Trip
1. Cat People
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
Now Showing: The Lone Gunman
Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Doug Liman
Writer: Harmony Winters
Cast: Chris Evans, Ruth Wilson, Jason Clarke, Karl Urban, Giancarlo Esposito, Diane Guerrero, Diego Luna, Rodrigo Santoro, Elias Janssen, Gavin Drea
Deep in the heart of the New Mexico desert, we see Daniel Henson (Gavin Drea) getting tortured by masked men. They demand some helpful info, but Daniel keeps resisting. He spits in each of their faces enraging them all till their boss barks at them to stop. The boss calmly offers Daniel a chance at an actual peaceful death, but Daniel tells him to burn in the tenth circle of Hell. The boss laughs, taking it as a joke till he unloads every bullet into his chest. He barks for them to take care of the body. A sound of a bone saw is heard as the boss leaves, smoking on a cigar.
Called to the scene of a murder, Texas Ranger Phillip Elkmun (Giancarlo Esposito) finds fellow Ranger Daniel Henson, who was tortured and kept him alive with medication to torture him longer. Phillip calls Daniel’s brother, Ranger Ryan Henson (Chris Evans), who’s shocked and upset. At the funeral, Ryan consoles Daniel’s widow, Debra (Ruth Wilson).
Sympathetically, Phillip gives Ryan a leak from the DEA in secret. The house where Daniel’s body was found is owned by a thug named Willie (Karl Urban). Strapped with guns, Ryan goes to a bar where Willie’s known to drink. He demands to know who killed his brother. Willie’s reluctant to tell him until Ryan, a crack shot, shoots clean through the bartender’s security baseball bat while looking at him through the reflection on Willie's glasses. Willie tells Ryan it was a man named Jose Dela who frequently visits a whorehouse. Ryan pistol whips him for good measure, then heads out to find Jose.
Ryan waits outside the house until the whores leave, then bursts in, guns blazing. He wants to know who Jose’s boss is, but when Jose refuses to tell him, Ryan murders him along with most of his companions. Phillip is rousted out of bed early the following day by DEA agent Stanley Luther (Jason Clarke), who explains that one of Jose’s men was an informant who brought the DEA closer than ever to find out who ran the Tarto drug cartel.
Unhelpful, Phillip tells Luther to prove Ryan’s involvement. Luther points out that Phillip had access to the confidential DEA file that led Ryan to Willie and then to Jose, but not even convinces Phillip to help Luther. Phillip arrests Ryan by Luther's orders, or else Phillip would be arrested too.
Seven years later, Ryan is released from prison. His old Ford Bronco waits for him, maintained and tuned by Phillip, who now owns a gas and service station in town after going into retirement. After thanking Phillip for visiting and everything, Ryan goes to his isolated ranch house to start working on repairs and security measures, including motion sensors and a panic room. One night, an attractive Mexican, Estebella (Diane Guerrero), shows up on Ryan’s doorstep. She claims to be the mother of Daniel’s illegitimate child, who was kidnapped by a man named Emilio. She begs Ryan for help. Ryan refuses. He goes to Phillip’s garage to see if Phillip has information about Emilio. Phillip refuses to help him, fearing Ryan’s plan to kill again. Ryan explains the bit about Estebella birthing Daniel’s child. Not wanting to help Ryan get into trouble, Phillip still won’t help.
Ryan goes to the motel where Estebella stays, telling her to arrange a time and place to meet Emilio. Estebella asks how Ryan would get her the $10,000 ransom. Ryan contently notes he has ways to gather that much cash. On the way to the Mexican bar where they’ve agreed to meet Emilio, Ryan meets up with Phillip, who has dug up the information on Emilio, who's known for kidnapping, being insanely dangerous, and always brings back-up.
Emilio (Rodrigo Santoro) and his thugs hang around at the bar, keeping close watch over the kid, Danny (Elias Janssen). Ryan hands off the money, but Estebella reveals she’s working with Emilio, who claimed he’d pay her half the ransom. Instead, Emilio kills her. They tie up Ryan and take him away. He goes quietly. In the Spanish hacienda basement, Ryan's tortured by Fabio Augustine (Diego Luna), the Tarto cartel leader. He claims to have protected Ryan during his prison sentence because one of the men Ryan killed was his nephew, so he wanted the pleasure of killing Ryan himself. In the past, Fabio tells a long story about getting into the trade: a Mexican doctor making a low wage and working with inferior equipment. One night, a man came in with abdominal pain but refused to say what he had eaten. Because Fabio couldn’t care for him properly, the man died. When Fabio performed the autopsy, he learned the man had three condoms filled with heroin in his digestive tract.
One had burst, but the other two were intact. Fabio took the intact condoms and changed careers. Fabio threatens Ryan with a deck of cards: if he cuts the deck and finds an ace of spades, he will kill Ryan. If not, he’ll just torture him. Fabio falls back on his medical training to torture without killing. He pulverizes Ryan’s shooting hand, detaches one of his corneas, and leaves Ryan to await further torture. Later, when somebody comes in to give him more medication, Ryan kills the man, takes his gun, all his medical syringes, and flees the seemingly empty hacienda.
He manages to get to Debra’s house, begging for help coincidentally; she’s a doctor. She wants to call an ambulance, but he refuses to let her. Ryan tells Debra to call Phillip but then passes out. When Phillip arrives, Ryan has regained consciousness. He tells Ryan he knew it was an ambush but let it happen so he could be led to the man responsible for Daniel’s death. Phillip’s surprised to hear Fabio’s name by this time; everyone knows who he is. Ryan asks for a favor, which Phillip arranges: a sham funeral made real with proper paperwork. With everyone convinced he’s dead, Ryan can take some time to recuperate. He begs Debra for help getting to Fabio. She’s reluctant to help. She doesn’t want Ryan to end up dead, too but agrees when Ryan tells her about Daniel’s kid. She takes Ryan out to practice shooting, but he has difficulty losing depth perception and a bad hand. When Debra removes his cast, Ryan demands that she cut out the clotting areas making his hand swell.
Phillip comes over to Debra’s house. He subtly implies that Ryan should leave Debra out of this. Ryan tells Phillip it’s not over yet. Phillip tries to talk sense to him to move on and come back to society. Ryan explains he can't stop in an emotional moment since this cost seven years of imprisonment and destruction of his life. He warns if Phillip won't join him, then Phillip needs to get out of the way. That night, Ryan tries to test the grip of his bad hand.
Getting back home, Debra awaits to tell him he doesn’t need to do this since Fabio thinks he’s dead. Ryan reminds her about Danny. Debra tells Ryan she knew Daniel was messing around, blaming herself for pulling away when she found she couldn’t have kids.
Ryan has a dream/memory of Daniel getting involved in a hostage negotiation involving a child. Ryan sneaks into the scene and shoots Daniel in the ass to get a clear shot at the perpetrator. Afterward, Daniel yells at him for not allowing him to negotiate. Ryan tells Daniel that he dropped his gun to gain some trust, and all bets were off.
The following day, Phillip helps Ryan rig his shoulder holsters to reach both guns even with his wrong hand. He warns Phillip about various traps he’s set around his ranch house, telling Phillip to pick up Debra and take her to the motel to wait it out. Debra wakes up and finds a note from Ryan, telling her to go with Phillip when he comes and giving her his bank account information just in case.
Ryan sets up a sniper perch on Fabio’s hacienda. He waits, staking out the place until the right moment. When the time is right, he wedges a stick on his Bronco’s accelerator and aims it at the hacienda. With the men distracted, Ryan takes most of them out from his sniper perch. Then, he moves in closer, where he kills the remaining people and gets to Danny. Ryan promises Danny safety, asking if he wants to come with him. Danny goes. Ryan spreads out a deck of cards, all aces of spades. Fabio and his top men return to the hacienda and find all their men dead, and the authorities hear afar driving up. Fabio tells his men to call any available mercenaries and offer a $25 Million reward on Phillip and Debra.
Ryan brings Danny to the ranch house. He prepares for what he knows is coming taking Danny to the panic room. He tells Danny to lock himself inside and wait until he hears a secret password between them both. He uses this as a device to calm Danny down. Ryan asks for trust, and Danny nods. Phillip picks up Debra and takes her to the motel. He leaves her in the room and goes to the attached diner to get some coffee. Willie Willie works the grill. He sees Phillip; Phillip sees him and knows what to expect. He returns to the room where Debra’s showering and insists they must leave immediately. Debra doesn’t understand and won’t give up her shower. It’s a moot point because it’s too late. Phillip only has time to call Ryan and warn him before SUVs full of gangsters show up. Ryan rushes to the motel. A wild gunfight ensues. Phillip manages to hold his own against the many thugs, but it’s not enough. He’s fatally wounded. Ryan shows up in time to take out the remaining men, including Willie, who Ryan kills in cold blood.
Earlier, Fabio and his mean have been waiting outside Ryan’s ranch house for him to leave. When he does, they go in and find the safe room. Ryan drags Debra back to the ranch house, where he’s set up a sniper perch. Ryan’s annoyed to find that Fabio and his men are already there. He tells Debra to call the sheriff, but Debra doesn’t have a cell phone. He sends her to go get the sheriff and bring him back. When she leaves, Ryan starts sniping. Fabio tells his men to cut the power. After the lights go out, Ryan starts firing blindly to give Debra time. Fabio knows Ryan can’t see anything, or else he won’t be missing. Two of Fabio’s men find the sniper perch. It seems like Ryan’s done for, but as they take one of his guns, he comes at them with an ankle gun, killing them both.
Fabio instructs his men to set a small C4 charge to blow the safe room door. It doesn’t exactly work the door opens slightly, enough for one man to get a hand through, but Danny stabs him with a paring knife. Annoyed, Fabio decides to go with a more significant charge. If it kills Danny, so be it. His men set up the cost. Ryan moves closer to the house. He manages to kill everyone but Fabio, who grabs the detonator and threatens Ryan. Since they’re all in such close quarters, they all die if Fabio detonates the charge. In response, Ryan gives Danny the password. Danny fiddling with the locks momentarily distracts Fabio, allowing Ryan to shoot Fabio’s detonating thumb.
Then, he shoots Fabio in the head. Danny comes clear of the safe room just as the sheriff’s department surrounds the ranch house. Ryan sends Danny out, telling him to find a woman named Debra, who will take care of him. Then, still in the place, he detonates the charge, blowing the house sky high.
Danny is introduced to Debra. The sheriff is OK with this, seeing as how they’re pseudo-kin. They figure the explosion of the house means Ryan is really dead, but he’s not. He watches Debra and Danny’s awkward introduction before walking unnoticed into the night.
Release: Boys of the Bayou
Genre: Drama/Musical
Director: Spike Lee
Writers: Jimmy Ellis & Chad Taylor
Cast: Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Alfre Woodard, Billy Murray, Rosario Dawson, Derek Luke, Queen Latifah, John Turturro, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett
Budget: $33,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $25,900,328
Foreign Box Office: $20,459,830
Total Profit: -$19,110,404
Reaction: Director Spike Lee's LRF debut unfortunately failed to make much of a dent in the box office to start of the studio's 20th season. We had hoped that the re-teaming of Lee and former frequent star Denzel Washington would bring in a big audience, but it just didn't happen.
"Boys of the Bayou isn't likely to break any new ground and Spike Lee's direction doesn't add much to the proceedings. That said, it is still a worthwhile film thanks to strong performances and a rich soundtrack." - Olive Carroll, Houston Chronicle
"The film is by no means a trainwreck, but it is destined to end up as a mere minor blimp on the resumes of director Spike Lee and stars Denzel Washington and Sam Jackson." - Jeremy Raren, RottenTomatoes.com
Rated PG-13 for language and some thematic material
Monday, July 26, 2021
Last Resort Films Jukebox: Boys of the Bayou
1. "Just Can't Win" - Lee Fields & the Expressions
2. "The Vibrator" - Brother Jack McGruff
3. "Blues for New Orleans" - Duke Ellington
4. "Would You Believe in Me" - Jon Lucien
5. "Maybe Tomorrow" - Grant Green
6. "How Long Do I Have to Wait For You" - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
7. "Changes" - Charles Bradley
8. "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" - Cannonball Adderley Quartet
Now Showing: Boys of the Bayou
Genre: Drama/Musical
Director: Spike Lee
Writers: Jimmy Ellis & Chad Taylor
Cast: Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Alfre Woodard, Billy Murray, Rosario Dawson, Derek Luke, Queen Latifah, John Turturro, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett
Plot: Abraham “Abe” Evans (Denzel Washington) wakes up from his slumber and kisses his wife Dolly Evans (Alfre Woodard) on the cheek as she sleeps. He walks to his bathroom and has a shower, he gets dressed, eats a bowl of cereal, brushes his teeth and checks his watch. He then leaves in his black Buick GNX. "Just Can't Win" by Lee Fields and The Expressions plays. We follow him a little while driving to work. He parks in his reserved car spot and walks toward the front door of the building. The sign reads "Louisiana Typewriter", he looks at the sign then checks his watch he sighs and enters. There he sees Ted Robinson (Bill Murray), his boss and close friend for four decades. Ted took over the typewriter seller and repair business from his dad in the 70s and the first person he hired was Abe. They are the only two employees at this point and the clientele is scarce.
Abe is in his car again on his way home from work this time, he is stuck in the New Orleans traffic and checks his watch. Abe is in his car again on his way home from work this time, he is stuck in the New Orleans traffic and checks his watch. As he waits, he picks up his flip phone to call is daughter but she doesn't answer. He leaves a voicemail asking for ideas for what he should get her mom for Christmas, preferably on the cheaper side.
Abe returns home to a nice cooked meal from Dolly, she kisses him on the cheek and the two sit down and talk as they eat. Dolly asks if anything new happened at work and he says no, the same thing happened as what has happened for the past 40 years. Dolly stands and can feel tension in Abe’s voice, she says that it will all be over soon, soon he will be a retired man. This brings a smile to Abe’s face, he turns around and kisses Dolly. After the meal he brushes his teeth and goes to bed, leaving Dolly to clean up. She is accustomed to this after almost 50 years of marriage.
Abe wakes again and goes through the exact same routine as the day before, he again is stuck in traffic on the way home from work. He gets home again to a cooked meal. He goes to bed and is ready for the next day of work.
The next day he has the same morning routine, and parks the car in the same spot at work. He stands at the entrance of the building and sighs once more. As he walks in, he notices a look on Ted's face (as if to say "we have a customer"). Abe approaches the man and says “Excuse me.” The man, Ezekiel "Zeke" Evans (Samuel L. Jackson) turns around and he says “My baby brother, after all these years, you still here.” Abe laughs, albeit a little shakily, and asks what his brother is doing here. Zeke questions this, asking if he can’t just come see his little brother. Abe says that's easy to say when he hasn't paid a visit since his daughter was still crawling. Zeke smiles, thinking of Kelly. Abe asks what really has brought him back to Louisiana after all these years and Zeke recommends that they talk about it over lunch. Abe says he'd like that. Ted shakes Zeke's hands and says he's still got the same smooth voice after all these years.
At lunch, Zeke and Abe briefly catch up. While they aren't exactly hostile towards each other, there is a lack of warmth in their interaction - almost skepticism on Abe's part. Abe's story is the same as it was last time they saw each other: the same job, same life, more gray hairs? They both laugh. Abe then presses Zeke on what he's been up to.
In a flashback, we see a younger Zeke (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) as a session trumpeter at a local soul record label. He's recruited by one of the artists to join his ensemble and go on tour, which Zeke accepts. He calls his family and tells them he is hitting the road. We then see a montage of the places that Zeke lives as he plays with various artists and having a blast doing it: Detroit, L.A., London, Berlin, New York, Memphis, Miami, and finally San Francisco. Zeke is now older and backing Zelda Reynolds (Queen Latifah), a soul singer who has crossed over into the mainstream. Even though he is not in the spotlight, this definitely the most successful he's ever been in his career. However, he is let go from the band for unknown reasons and he has trouble finding work so he becomes a street performer.
Back in the present, Zeke says he was doing that for the last few years until the Bay area passed new anti-busking laws that took his livelihood from him. So here he is. He saved up the money to fly here and visit his brother, who he was hoping would still be here. He said he went to mom's house first but someone else living there. Abe says "do you not know?" A sense of agony flushes over Zeke's face. "We tried to get ahold of you but couldn't find you anywhere." Abe says as he checks his watch. He says he's still got plenty of time until he needs to get back.
They stand at their parents grave, with their father having passed away in 1968 and their mother in 2002. Zeke says he feels bad that he never came back but he just got so lost in his travels and tribulations. He then transitions into why he came here: he is need of a place to live, at least for a while, until he can find himself back on his feet. Abe knows he is asking if he can stay with him and Dolly. Although it seems like he is going to say yes, he asks where Zeke is staying at the moment and he says he has a hotel for a few nights. Abe says to stay at that hotel tonight and he will talk to Dolly to make sure it is OK. Zeke says he understands and gives his brother a hug.
At home, Dolly is making dinner and asks how work was. While she is expecting the same old same old, Abe's face tells a different story. He says that Zeke unexpectedly arrived and catches her up on what he said. Dolly is swift in her response, saying of course he can stay with them for the time being. Abe is the one who is more hesitant. He says that his brother has always been a bit of a mess and he doesn't know if that would be best to bring that here right now. Dolly is angry and points out to him that family is family. Just because he was gone all of these years doesn't mean he can't be here now.
At work the next day, Ted and Abe talk about Zeke's recent arrival. He says that he is going to visit the hotel after work and take his brother into his home. Ted says that this probably isn't the best time but he's been looking at the books and he's got to be honest: he doesn't know how long they'll be able to stay open. Abe already knows what he's about to say, it's a reality they've been facing for a while there. While they have their loyal clientele of typewriter enthusiasts and the occasional hipster, they aren't selling anything new and are pretty much running on the fumes of repairs at this point. Seeing the defeat in Abe's eyes, Ted puts his hands on his friend's shoulder before giving him a long hug and telling him they'll figure something out.
Zeke sits in the passenger seat of Abe’s car as they drive home. It is a bit of an awkward silence in the car until Zeke speaks up and asks how Kelly actually is. You can see in his face Abe doesn’t quite know as she hasn’t been answering his calls very often, however he does not want to let Zeke know this so he says she is good. Zeke nods and says that is good, he asks if he has any grandchildren to which Abe nods and says he has two boys. Zeke laughs at that and proceeds to call Abe, “Grandpa Abe.” They pull up at the house. Zeke and Abe exit the car and Zeke grabs his bags from the trunk, all he has is a suitcase and his trumpet case. Zeke puts his hand on the suitcase to pick it up and we see a slight tremble as he is hesitates to lift it up. Meanwhile, Abe checks his watch and tells Zeke he can go inside, he’s going to give he and Dolly another minute before he goes in. He'll grab the luggage. Abe takes a look at the instrument and notices it is a bit weathered and beat up. Dolly looks at the time and knows it can’t be Abe yet so she calls out to ask if it’s Zeke to which he says yes. She greets him with open arms and a kiss on the cheek asking if he is hungry. He says “always.” She takes him to the spare room with a bed already made and tells him that dinner is ready when he is. Abe enters the house and Dolly gives him a kiss on the cheek, he puts his suitcase down and gets ready for his dinner. Dolly and Abe talk for a minute before Zeke comes and joins them at the table. Abe and Dolly continue to talk. Zeke now and then butts into their conversation and Abe and Dolly gladly answer all his questions about Kelly, the grandchildren and their lives specifically. Zeke then asks Abe when he will retire to which Abe replies that he will be retiring soon. Dolly looks at Abe and smiles, but Abe’s face looks a little tense.
Kelly (Rosario Dawson) and her husband Dion (Derek Luke) are driving to Abe and Dolly’s with the two kids, 6 and 8 in the back. Dion asks how she is feeling pretty much meeting her uncle. She says that she is a bit nervous but excited at the same time, she wants to meet her dad’s big brother. Dion puts his hand on her leg and hopes for the best. She smiles.
Abe and Zeke sit and watch the NBA game on the television between the New Orleans Pelicans and the New York Knicks. They throw some banter back and forth as Zeke in all his travels has come to root for the Knicks whereas Abe goes for his home state. Abe mentions how he has a friend with season tickets and they should go to a game some time. Zeke says he's heard good things about this Zion Williamson kid. New Orleans score on the buzzer to win by a point. Abe rubs it in his face a bit in good humour, Zeke just laughs at his younger brothers antics. The doorbell rings and Abe says that it must be Kelly and the gang. Zeke goes to stand but his leg begins to shake a bit and he falls back into the seat. Abe asks if he’s ok to which he says he is fine he had just been sitting for too long, that game took it out of him. Dolly answers the door and hugs Kelly, Dion and the kids. The kids run over to their grandpa Abe and he hugs them both. He introduces all four of them to Zeke, Zeke acts cool for the kids and gives one of them his hat to try on. Kelly goes up to him and says it’s nice to meet him while shaking his hand.
At dinner, Zeke inquires about Kelly's life and Dion's as well, while telling colorful stories from his past which the kids love. As he holds court, he asks Dolly if they have any alcohol in the house to compliment the meal and she says not presently. Zeke is surprised to hear this and begins to talk about he and Abe's wild drinking days when they were younger. He begins to tell a story about he snuck his little brother into his first bar but the table grows silent and less joyous as he does. He realizes that it might not be appropriate with the kids around so he stops and changes the subject. However, the mood has already distinctly changed. They bid Kelly and family farewell and Kelly asks if he will still be around for Christmas. Zeke jokes "Who knows? I tend to have a habit to disappear from time to time."
As Abe has to wake up early for work, he goes to bed first and Dolly pulls aside Zeke to have a talk when he does. She explains what happened at dinner and why things turned the way they did. In his 30s and 40s, Abe went through tough bouts with alcoholism. As a result, he became abusive at times, towards Dolly and Kelly. Zeke tenses up and says he is sorry to hear this and asks if she is in danger now. She is quick to say no and that Abe has since recovered and been sober since their mother's death. But that time in his life still had some damage on his relationship with their daughter, one that is still be repaired day-by-day to this day. Zeke thanks her for letting him know and apologizes bringing up the story that he did at the table. She says there's no way he could have known, having been away all these years. Zeke ends the conversation by saying he is proud to hear of his brother's sobriety.
A week later, Zeke has grown accustomed to a daily routine as he temporarily lives in Abe's house. When Abe gets home from work, he surprises Zeke with two tickets to see the Pelicans play (like he said he would). At the game, Zeke and Abe continue to rekindle a brotherly bond by watching a sport they both love with Ted joining them as well. The brothers joke about how neither were great athletes but Zeke points out that at least they were good musicians. Ted is surprised to hear that Abe is a musician, he's never heard that before. This prompts Abe to lament about his musical talents, something he wishes he would have pursued a career in like his older brother. Zeke is quick to point out that it is not as glamorous as it sounds but Abe says that it's surely more glamorous than a typewriter repairman and they all laugh. When Ted leaves to go to the concessions, Zeke asks how the job is going and Abe is truthful. He repeats what Ted told him earlier about having to close soon. To make matters worse, he's led Dolly along to believe that they are financially prepared for him to enter retirement but that is just simply not the case. He'll have to keep working for at least five more years to get a comfortable living in retirement. Zeke is bummed to hear this. The conversation ends when Ted returns.
As they drive back home, they pass by the bar that Zeke snuck Abe into in their teens. Abe asks Zeke if he wants to stop in, for old time's sake. Zeke immediately finds himself conflicted. He comes up with an excuse and tells his brother that the game took a lot out of him and he'd rather head back home. Abe says he understands. At night, Zeke lays restless as he thinks about Abe's current predicament and is worried about his brother. He is feeling guilty that he is just another thing weighing Abe down at the moment. At 2am, he gets up instead of falling asleep. He starts to brainstorm ways that he can help Louisiana Typewriter. While he comes up with various ideas, he keeps circling back to what he knows best: music. They could hold a benefit concert featuring local musicians to celebrate both the neighborhood's musical past and save a stalwart business. However, after deciding this, he finds himself conflicted: if he tells Abe, he will turn it down because he is too prideful. But he can't tell Dolly either or else he would reveal Abe's dire work situation. So he keeps it to himself for now and gets some rest.
While Abe is at work and Dolly is away, Zeke starts to get to work on putting the pieces into place for his plan. The first thing he does is take a taxi to the record company he used to work for. There he gets the contact information of some of his former friends and collaborators, some being decently well-known names. He then goes to book a venue at a concert venue that he used to frequent in his younger days. Mark (John Turturro), the owner of the venue, is surprised to see Zeke back in the neighborhood and he says it feels like he's on a reunion tour. The owner tells him that he will need more details in order to book the place on a weekend night. He then points out that didn't he used to play with Zelda Reynolds. If he could get her to commit, the concert would definitely be a go. Zeke smiles and says he'll see what he can do. However, when he leaves Mark's office, his face tells a different story.
Back at home, Zeke holds the phone in his hand and types in a number that he knows by heart. Instead of ringing, he is told that it is disconnected. He's tries the number again, thinking he might have messed up the first time, but again gets the disconnected message. Not being too accustomed to a computer, he sits down to write a letter as his back-up option. As he begins to write, he finds it difficult to find the right words to say. After writing it, he examines it closer and something seems off. But he seals it anyway and addresses it to Zelda.
Christmas Day – its Christmas morning, Dolly, Zeke and Abe gather around the dining table drinking hot beverages. Zeke tells Dolly and Abe that he is excited once again to spend some time with Kelly and the family. Abe has a smile come to his face once more.
Kelly, Dion and the kids arrive at the house with gifts in hand, the boys are playing with water guns as they enter. Dion tells them not to spray it inside. They enter and greet Abe, Zeke and Dolly. Abe takes the gifts from them and places them under the tree where there is already many gifts. The boys go straight up to their great uncle Zeke. He stands up out of his seat and asks Kelly if its fine that he go outside and fight the boys with the water guns, Kelly tells him to knock himself out all the boys have been talking about all morning is seeing their uncle Zeke. Zeke laughs and takes the kids outside. Dolly, Abe, Dion and Kelly talk about Zeke and how he is fitting in a lot better than they thought, Abe says he thought he would’ve disappeared already. They look out the window and we see Zeke spraying the kids with the water guns while (slowly) chasing after them.
After lunch everybody is laughing and having a good time. Abe announces that it is finally time for presents. The kids look at each other excited. They run over to the presents and immediately open their ones from Abe and Dolly. The kids hug their grandparents for their presents and go play with them in another room. After all the presents have been opened, Dolly and Abe bring out one more. They hand the present to Zeke. He says they didn’t have to get him anything, letting him live here is enough. They tell him to open it. He takes the wrapping off and it is a case of some sorts. He opens it and it is a brand new trumpet. Abe says that he noticed Zeke’s trumpet was a bit weathered and thought he deserved a new one. This brings a tear to Zeke’s eye as he hugs his baby brother and Dolly. The kids ask Zeke to play it, so he does. He plays the trumpet with so much glee.
Zeke sits down one on one with Kelly. He starts to tell her about all of the good memories he had with her father, when they would play music together when they were young, and when he met her mother. This brings Kelly to ask if Zeke had ever loved anyone. He says that he once felt love for someone, yes. Zelda Reynolds, he says that the relationship was complicated. When he first joined the band she was married, but he felt an immediate attraction as did she. They grew closer and closer as the tours continued but he did not want to be a homewrecker so he left the band without telling anyone for a new city, for a fresh start and a new challenge. As he talks, he realizes that he has to tell Kelly about the state of the business and the concert he is planning. Her eyes light up and she is very receptive to the idea. He says that her mother will probably be angry about Abe lying to her for these all these years but Kelly says that he doesn't have to call it a benefit concert. This gives Zeke the confidence to go forward with it.
Zeke tells everyone at the Evans household that he has organised a concert for Louisiana Typewriter. Abe is taken aback by this and asks what for. Zeke says to celebrate its 60th anniversary, of course. Abe thanks his brother for this initiative and asks who will be performing. Zeke says that he has lined up an array of performers, Abe will just have to wait and see. Abe hugs his brother and thanks him for this.
Ted tells Abe that Louisiana Typewriter’s last day is getting closer and closer. It is at this time that Abe tells him about Zeke’s concert idea. They both agree that it will be a good “last hurrah” for the business. Zeke awaits a reply back from Zelda, through Mark, but nothing has come yet. Mark calls Zeke and asks what is happening with Zelda, will she do the concert? We cut Zeke’s side, he has a look on his face that says no but he lies through his teeth and says yes. Mark says that is great news as he looks as happy as ever. He thanks Zeke and looks forward to the concert. All Zeke can do is wait and see if Zelda will show up at the concert.
The day of the concert comes and it turns into a celebration and coming together of the local community and its soul-jazz scene. Multiple artists from Zeke’s past show up and he catches up with them. Meanwhile, Ted and Abe sink in the appreciation they receive for being a neighborhood staple for all of these years. As the artists play, still no Zelda and Mark grows anxious that he was falsely advertising.
Zeke pulls Abe aside and reveals to him his lie about Zelda. Abe’s eyes light up as he comes up with a back-up plan: Zeke go out there and play a set. Zeke hums and haws before telling his brother the truth: there were no anti-busking laws put in place in San Francisco that forced him out of his profession. He had to stop because he feels like his body is starting to slowly betray him. His hands tremble and he feels that makes playing the trumpet impossible. Abe gives his brother a hug and says he will take him to see a specialist to see if something is wrong. In the meantime, Zeke comes up with a counter-plan: Abe is the one who takes the new trumpet and goes out there to play. Just like he wanted to when they were young. Just like he wanted to his whole life. Abe initially says no, with a tear in his eye, saying he hasn’t played in years. Zeke shrugs his shoulders and says no one will really care: this is a benefit concert to keep Louisiana Typewriter alive, anyways. While Abe wants to be mad, he finds himself only able to thank his brother for thinking out for him. He picks up the trumpet and says he’ll play a tune.
Abe takes the stage and thanks everyone for coming out and starts playing a trumpet solo. He thanks his best friend Ted for giving him a job for all these years and his best friend Zeke for organizing this thing. He proceeds to play trumpet solo, a little shaky but the crowd is still enamored. The drummer in the background starts playing, which throws Abe off guard but he continues playing. He is then joined by other musicians playing their instruments. Finally, Zelda Reynolds takes the stage to a rapturous applause. The whole ensemble plays a popular song of hers (“How Long Do I Have to Wait For You”), with Abe improvising on trumpet.
After the song, Zelda thanks Zeke in front of the crowd for inviting her and that he was one of the highlights of her career when it was at its peak. Zeke tips his cap to her, with a smile on. However, Abe whispers something into her ear and she then says that she heard that he used to want to be a singer before becoming a back-up musician. She asks the crowd if they want an encore and they are chanting yes. She invites Zeke up to the stage to sing something. While hesitant, he does and gives a hug to them both on stage.
He proceeds into a soul cover of Black Sabbath’s “Changes” as a montage begins. Abe takes Zeke to the doctor, where he is diagnosed with early on-set Parkinson’s. He moves in with Abe and Dolly permanently, and Kelly and her family visit more often. Ted and Abe make a strategic decision to us the concert money to extend the life of Louisiana Typewriter by learning new skills so that they can repair more electronics than just typewriters. They also advertise that they are now selling and repairing musical instruments as well. When the first person comes in to have their trumpet looked at, Ted directs the customer to their new third employee and instrument specialist: Ezekiel Evans.
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