Andre Welsh’s directorial style does not hold back from the grime and grim of existence, and it is obvious that he has a keen eye for compelling cinematography. His new film, Disrupted, is a raw, multi-narrative film where disparate storylines converge to deliver a suspenseful crime thriller whose darkness verges on film noir. Produced by Realization Films, Disrupted is set to have its official world premiere as an official selection of the 2020 Cinequest film festival.

An uber driver named Jay (Chioke Jelani Clanton) hustles in the streets of Oakland to make ends meet. Meanwhile, a man named Pete (Ron Kaell) is haunted by the murder of his wife 30 years prior, an event that cost him his freedom, his sobriety, and his relationship with his daughter. Across town, a well-to-do psychopath, Harold Price (Geoffrey Lower), has an ill-fated chance run-in with a small-time drug dealer. When a local murder that has oddly similar circumstances to the slaying of Pete’s wife is reported, the paths of these three characters meet at the intersection of violence, mind-games, and deceit.

Disrupted plays out as a smart, gory, and sometimes comedic thrill ride that also presents commentary on racial tensions, the struggle of the lower social class versus the dangerous aloofness of the upper class, and the gentrification of the bay area. It is layered with all of this socially/currently relevant subtext, but the delivery is packaged within a mystery, serial-killer-thriller, making Disrupted as topical as it is a heart-racing horror. Furthermore, Welsh creates a particularly heartbreaking character with his protagonist, Pete, a Sin City’s Marv-like antihero who can’t catch a break, his hard life etched all over his crevassed face. Thanks to Ron Kaell’s performance in this role and Welsh’s apparent passion for storytelling, Disrupted was accented by heavy emotional notes.

At first, it seems as if the story will have warring storylines, as the audience individually follows each character living out their own sorry existences. Eventually, these sorry existences cross paths by happenstance, and I appreciate Welsh taking the time to introduce each character in a fully-realized way where their personal actions play out authentically within the story. I also enjoyed the oxymoronic character types — the unassuming wealthy killer, the streetwise Black hipster, and the loving hardened alcoholic father. All can be viewed as vigilantes and villains from different perspectives, and the maleness and violence and darkly comedic banter in the film half-reminded me of a Guy Richie or Tarantino flick.

As an African American metalhead who dabbles in horror and has an interest in the psyche of psychopathic killers, Disrupted is entertaining to me on so many levels. It is a very character-driven film and it hits a lot of beats, ensuring that its content could entertain audiences with varying tastes in film genres. Along with his cast, a mix of new and veteran heavy-hitters, Andre Welsh crafts a great film with Disrupted.

MOVIE RATING — 8 out of 10 ☠️