Two people, a criminal and his hostage hole up in a dingy hotel room during a dark stormy night, only to be joined by an enigmatic third who takes them both hostage in this tense little independent film.I was a bit cold to this movie when it first started due to some overacting in the beginning but after I warmed up to it and got used to the stage play mentality of the piece, I found it to be quite interesting. The movie slowly burns to a fairly taunt third act that makes the film all the more worthwhile. Well-acted all around and while not the best low-budget movie I've seen, it is remarkable well-done especially given its limitations.

I'm writing this because I got sucked into seeing this mess by the absurd reviews (written by the filmmaker's mother perhaps) praising this stinker of a grade Z movie.The entire 105 minutes takes place with 3 persons in one room of a cheap motel, and will involve more blood and guts than any Clint Eastwood western. None of the three have any redeeming qualities, none of the three are attractive to look at, even without the blood.The movie reeks of stupidity. Shots are fired and there's lots of screaming, but this attracts no attention. The #2 guy wants to order food, but can't because the phone doesn't work. It doesn't work because the girls legs are tied with the phone cord. She's handcuffed to the bedpost, but guy #2 can't figure out he can untie her legs, reconnect the cord, order, and eat.Even in 2010, a year when stupid movies abound -- particularly the amply stupid "Inception" -- this 2007 mess stands out.

Note to all you first time filmmakers that embark on the journey of making a low budget horror or thriller film – 'Keep it Simple'.If only more directors without much funding would take this to heed we would get more films like Long Pigs and Sympathy and less like The Landlord and Dead Noon.This was not lost on director Andrew Moorman who took a smart thriller by writer Arik Martin and turned it into a very competent and highly entertaining film called Sympathy.The beauty of the film is in its simplicity. The story has but three characters and all takes place in a motel room. That is where a suggested bank robber named Tripp (Steven Pritchard) brings his hostage Sara (Marina Shtelen) and handcuffs her to the bed. While trying to formulate an escape plan, Tripp's getaway is interrupted by Dennis (Aaron Boucher), an escaped convict who coincidentally end up in the same room with multiple agendas.In a film style that clearly pays homage to Alfred Hitchcock and Brain DePalma, the three characters will spend an evening revealing depths of their personalities while setting in motion an intense cat-and-mouse game convoluted with bulging egos and personal motivations.To further obstruct a clean getaway, characters will be shot, stabbed and emotionally tormented as the story unfolds revealing characters that are not whom they appear to be. The final chapters will include a blood soaked ending that will remind you of an early Tarantino work and a satisfying end to an evening's odyssey.Kudos to director Andrew Moorman for not trying to squeeze more out of the intelligent script than what was pressed onto the straight to DVD release. His directing was able to hide from this seasoned reviewer a reveal that I didn't see coming (granted it wasn't M. Night-ish, but it still generated a 'wow' response).When producing a movie with one setting and limited characters, it is important to have strong acting to accompany the script pages or all is lost. Pritchard, Shtelen and Boucher put on believable performances even if the acting is at times uneven. Shtelen in particular starts off weak, but by the end of the film, she plays the role of Sara with a seasoned confidence.Revealing any specifics would be an injustice to anyone who follows this review with a screening, but as low budget, independent films go, this one ranks in the top tier.www.killerreviews.com

I discovered this movie while building the schedule for my new film festival. Now called Maelstrom Festival of Horror and the Fantastic. It was so well received at the screening that I am bringing it back for Crypticon Seattle. It will play at 11:00pm Friday night the 23rd of May.This is a film worth checking out. If you spend any time looking at small indie films you will appreciate "Sympathy". Powerful and compelling find it and watch it.People stuck in a room after a heist. What are they doing in the hotel room and who is really calling the shots?