Crime comedy ‘Start Up’ showcases some of Kansas’ most talented actors
The film by former Wichita TV personality Shane Konicki had its world premiere at the Tallgrass Film Festival. You can buy tickets to stream it online over the next week.
The premise behind director Shane Konicki’s “Start Up” is bananas, and there’s so much going on in this film that it’s hard to keep up. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t see it.
On the contrary, the film features multiple standout performances by some of Kansas’ most talented actors. With more editing, the script (by Konicki, Meredith Konicki, and James Luce) would have enabled those performances to shine even brighter.
The structure of “Start Up” feels somewhat like a Cohen Brothers film, as we follow the misadventures of a team of semi-heroes who end up face-to-face with some dangerous characters over and over again. Norm (Matthew Svoboda), an entrepreneurial type and his seemingly hapless brother, Pete (Daniel Reep) are going to extreme measures to ensure the success of their start up beauty business, but bad things keep happening. Worried their lives might be in danger, naïve Pete sees a TV infomercial for a “professional” fixer and gives Cliff Monty a call.
The plot really takes off from there. Konicki, whom Wichitans will remember as a member of the KWCH morning news team who hosted a popular live segment called “Where’s Shane?,” plays the role of Cliff. With a cheesy (maybe New Jersey?) accent, a fake mustache, and a polyester three-piece suit, Konicki utterly inhabits this overly confident, garrulous, good-hearted, squirrelly know-it-all. His makeup could use an upgrade, but Konicki’s delivery and pace are spot-on. Cliff’s skills are many, and as he hauls Norm and Pete through the streets in a late-’70s RV, he’s not afraid to employ outside-the-box defensive techniques that involve bowling balls, toilet plungers, and fly swatters. This character might be more at home in a sketch comedy show, but I found him consistently entertaining.
Bad guys Steve Hitchcock, Delno Eby, and Justin Noel Hall make their marks with properly intimidating performances, and there are some truly impressive fight scenes coordinated by Andrew McGhee that are worth the price of admission. Keely Connolly as Cheryl and Meredith Konicki as Gabby are natural fits for their roles as sidekicks to Norm and Pete. Deb Campbell needs to play more potentially homicidal grandmas.
This crime-y comedy showcases the talents of more than 100 Kansas film artists. Among the large cast you’ll see many familiar local faces, including media personalities, stage and film actors, and stunt performers. The filmmakers take advantage of the almost endless opportunities for quirky cameos, which is fun but further complicates the already overloaded script. Of course, it takes more than actors to make a film, and an impressive team of experienced area cinematographers, gaffers, and audio technicians showed off their skills in “Start Up,” too.
So why do I think the premise is cuckoo? Let’s just say that I’m familiar with the beauty industry. Makeup that lasts a month before you must reapply is not something cosmetics enthusiasts are looking for. How could a business that sells such a thing ever make any money without charging a fortune for it?
I’m just saying.
The Details
“Start Up” World Premiere Screening at the Tallgrass Film Festival
2 p.m. Saturday, October 26, at the Mary Jane Teall Theater at Century II, 225 W. Douglas Ave. in Wichita
If you missed the premiere, “Start Up” will be available to screen online during the week after the in-person festival, beginning at 10 p.m. October 27.
$7.95
Learn more and buy an online ticket for the Tallgrass virtual screening. Visit the website for the film.
Teri Mott is a writer and actor in Wichita, Kansas, where she covers the arts as a critic and feature writer. She is a co-founder of the SHOUT.
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