We’ve all seen the movies where a character is a one-man army, or everything just happens to work out for them, right? Well, what if this particular man – the one carrying 100% of the story – is about as hopeless and down on his luck as you can find? In many ways that’s more appealing because it’s their flaws, quirks and weaknesses that shine brighter than their strengths. So let’s take a look at one such a character, Sebastian Poe (played by Billy Blair), in Derek Presley‘s latest film.
Written and shot here in Dallas, Tonic tells the tale of a barfly jazz pianist who must commit murder in exchange for his drug debt to a crooked cop. It’s a pretty stellar yarn featuring an impressive and talented cast (including Lori Petty, Ed Westwick, Luke Barnett and Richard Riehle to name a few) yet it is the character interactions that give this story its edge. Likened to the Safdie brothers’ Good Time, Scorsese’s After Hours and inspired by John Cassavetes’ The Killing of a Chinese Bookie this deep-fried noir is similarly set in a hot pot where time is as limited as the protagonist’s options.
But is Poe a “protagonist“? Well, not by conventional standard…and not by a long shot either. But, as mentioned above, that’s a very appealing aspect to this story. It’s also one of the many questions we had for Presley and producing partners Lola Lott and Jason Starne. We spoke to the trio about their experiences and insights into the film.
In this episode of The GoSeeTalk Podcast Experience, we dive into Deep Ellum, live music, shooting schedules, inspiration, hair metal and of course the lead of the film, one Billy Blair. Enjoy our time with Derek, Lola and Jason!
