One of the best things about going to Fantastic Fest is seeing something we may never get the chance to see again. This year had at least half a dozen like that, one of which is the erotic thriller, Body Blow. Let us set the scene for the steamy Aussie noir from director Dean Francis: Aiden, a young cop, embarks on a risky undercover mission where he meets Cody, a captivating male sex worker controlled by a drug lord drag queen. He dives into a perilous world, getting entangled in a deadly police conspiracy.
A chance meeting at the Highball put us face to face with Francis (who is also the writer and editor) and his spitfire lead actress, Sacha Horler. Truth be told, it wasn’t even on my radar, but they sold me on it (they are endlessly charismatic) and their world premiere blows away all expectations. The crowd loved it!
The film (inspired by Body Heat and Double Indemnity) deals with surface-level topics like addiction and identity. Yet, like an iceberg, there’s plenty more beneath the surface and that means these narrative waters run deep. The message is a strong one, but the visuals and music help drive it home as we find Aiden (Tom Pocock) entering a colorfully dangerous world he doesn’t understand but, deep down, thinks he wants to inhabit. His entry point (cheeky pun intended) is via his superior officer (the lovely Horler) and Cody (Tom Rodgers). As he comes to grips with these issues, he knows he can never go back to his old life, nor does he want to.
Francis’ writing goes into what really drives a person. Sometimes Aiden is driven, other times pushed. The film gives us highly flawed characters who are all fighting something. Over the course of the story, they don’t give up…but they get to a state of acceptance. In the case of Aiden and Cody, when that level of vulnerability is reached, they are able to find someone else who sees, accepts, and helps them. After that, they’re capable of taking on the world…they just need to make it to the end credits.
We got into some deep conversations with Francis and Horler about all the above and more in this naughty neon noir. Enjoy this episode of The GoSeeTalk Podcast Experience!
