‘Are you sure that you want to do this? As long as we are together, that’s where home is’, are the lines that lead us to the end credits of the feature-length film we are about to review, prompting us to stare at the screen and contemplate.
‘First Friday‘ is directed by Jawsh Ojeda, an independent filmmaker and emerging talent who has managed to spark our curiosity. Set in Las Vegas, the film tells the story of Tiana and Trey, siblings who struggle to make ends meet by selling custom t-shirts and hosting a podcast about the city’s underground culture. However, things change for the outcasts when they make a deal with 2 Sacks, a ruthless drug dealer who warns Tiana that she must pay the debt that’s been accumulating, or else. This creates a rift in the siblings’ relationship, but eventually, Tiana finds a way out of this intense situation. Or, so does she seem. When introduced to 3D-printed firearms by her friend, Tiana realises that this is a lucrative business that could ‘buy’ their freedom and, ultimately, give them a fair chance to escape the city before it’s too late. Meanwhile, Tiana and Trey’s desperate attempt to rob a store sets them on a dangerous path where they don’t only need to worry about the drug lord but the authorities as well. With Vegas’s iconic ‘First Friday’ approaching, the clock is ticking away for the siblings, who, aided by their friends and lovers, manage to confront 2 Sacks once and for all.
‘First Friday’ doesn’t hesitate to reveal the stakes and purposes right away. The director makes sure to build a stable foundation for the narrative in the prologue. Once everything is known, and the First Friday event is introduced, we follow the protagonists on their usual routines. The film doesn’t take long to introduce the catalyst that thrusts the siblings on their journey. Both Tiana and Trey are relatable and likeable, so we develop an emotional relationship with them. As a result, once the villain is introduced, we are apprehensive about the whole ordeal. The filmmakers use Chekhov’s Gun narrative principle both literally and figuratively. The gun that’s introduced in the beginning fires off later. This MacGuffin (if we are allowed to label it that way) becomes an integral part of the protagonists’ journey. Besides the engaging and immersive premise, we meet a world rich with vibrant colours, a plethora of techniques and stylisation, and a genuine auteur skillset that helps separate the film from the crowd of independent projects.
In other words, ‘First Friday’ uses different camera and sound techniques to bring the world in question as close to the audience as possible. Even those who have never been to Vegas (especially those audience groups) would get a real feel of the city. In that regard, it’s inevitable to acknowledge that Las Vegas behaves like an independent character. The city is lively, its energy is unmatched, and its people are so unique and diverse that they make even the loneliest and most isolated places warm and welcoming. Moreover, the film is balanced in terms of exteriors and interiors. The director chooses one interesting reoccurring method, which is to make the interiors as colourful as possible. As a result, we oftentimes see diegetic lights moving in the background, thus introducing a decent amount of different colour palettes. This approach is paired up with the camera movements.
The shaky camera is present when needed to give us an idea of how uncomfortable the protagonists are. Other times, the camera is still – it indulges in close-ups and middle shots when the characters are contemplating their next moves or trying to figure out the stuff that hurt them. The fight and chase scenes are juxtaposed against these seemingly calm and subtle moments. The filmmakers have successfully managed to convey the chaos, stakes and intensity of these situations. In addition, the marriage between the picture and the sound functions well. In other words, the picture complements the sound design, and vice versa. The upbeat and dynamic soundtrack further contributes to the immersion and genuineness. At the same time, the sound mix is fair to the dialogue – the dialogue can be heard and understood clearly, even during the loudest sequences.
The film was shot in seven days only, and considering that fact, it’s inevitable to note how impressive the results are. The guerrilla-style approach reminds of Jean-Luc Godard’s early works if they followed the colour palette of films like ‘Tangerine’. ‘First Friday’ shares similarities with the French Nouvelle Vague because of its innovation. Ojeda doesn’t intend to follow conventions. Instead, they aim to make an auteur film that’s brave enough to break barriers and elevate the genre. The characters break the fourth wall occasionally, subtly inviting us, the viewers, to become part of the sleepless Las Vegas and its electrifying culture. On a different front, there are a couple of moments where the editing could’ve been more dynamic, as the film usually engages in equally lengthy sequences that sometimes overstay their welcome. Instead, the middle part could’ve benefited from involving the protagonists in more situations, especially after Tiana hurts herself. In addition, the sound editing in some of the interior sequences in the first half could’ve been tightened to let the performances stand out even more. However, this is a finesse compared to the great job done.
