Origin and release year: United States (2024 – Opportunity) 

Cast: Jon Waters, Quinn Aikele, Aaron Henretty, Anthony Hill, Mason Mack, Amanda Coryat, Jordan Atkinson, Rusty Rehl, Riley Gurr, Trent Martin, Gabby Atkinson, Terry Davis, Mildred Rehl 

Director: Rusty Rehl

Screenwriter: Rusty Rehl 

Synopsis: Opportunity is a dark drama-comedy that tells the story of Patrick who lives in a world where housing prices are sky-high. He must choose between buying a house or living in his van forever whilst being pulled into a journey of crime battling Mormon gangsters thanks to (or no thanks to) his friend, Donnie. 

Directed and written by Rusty Rehl, the film was shot in Boise, Idaho. Opportunity is more than just a project to Rehl, but an ‘opportunity’ that gave him a sense of purpose as he got the chance to create it during a turning point in his life. This spirit reflects itself in the high quality of the film and its narrative. In fact, he also makes a short cameo in the film as the high school bully. 

Starring the likes of Jon Waters (known for directing Twelfth Night and acting in Team BroForce) as Patrick Getty, Quinn Aikele (known for roles in Danger Land and Link to a New World), and Aaron Henretty (known for roles in Absolution and 4Hire), just to name a few, Opportunity is a dramedy about crime, survival, and the American dream. 

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized.” – Sun Tzu 

First impressions of the film immediately tell you that this is going to be a well-made piece of cinema. This is before we have unraveled or even dived into the narrative, just judging by the opening scenes. We’re still getting into the film’s world but immediately the clean cinematography, pleasant color grading, and detailed sound design grab your attention. 

Generally, the film deals with the harsh realities of existing amidst the current economy. With the housing crisis being the main reality, it also makes social commentary on many topics such as healthcare, gender equality, mental health, and the things that impact it like manipulation and gaslighting, honestly, the list goes on. This makes for a thought-provoking watch. 

Additionally, the screenwriting is pretty funny. It’s not grab your stomach laughing out loud but dark comedy witty kind of funny with a hinge of problematic – which suits the tone of the film.  

If we had to give the film one critique… Some of the scenes left a bit to be desired in terms of acting. Whilst, the cast’s acting was overall pretty solid, there were moments where the actors’ portrayals almost seemed out of character or unfocused. For instance, in one scene where Donnie and Julia argue – it almost seemed like she was holding back laughter, but nothing was particularly funny. 

Patrick’s character also made some interesting choices in the first half of the film. Granted that it’s a comedy but some of his acting just seemed like overreactions above being for comedic effect. This kind of spilled over into some unrealistic moments that made you laugh out of disbelief more than them being funny. However, this was only a small head scratch, it didn’t ruin the film or anything but just made you scoff or smirk. 

Besides these minor slips, the overall emotional portrayals (although not too deep in some cases) were decent. 

All things aside, this is a film that anyone living in a capitalist reality will likely be able to relate to regardless of their age, nationality, or anything else. 

Check out the full Opportunity movie trailer below. 

You can support the film by keeping up with updates and leaving reviews on its official platforms: Opportunity The Movie website | Opportunity The Move IMDb

What do you think of Opportunity? Let us know in the comments!