Writer/director Seth McTigue has expanded his short film into a suspenseful debut feature about sibling rivalry, a botched kidnapping and a heist with a satisfying twist. McTigue also leads the ensemble cast as Chad, a war veteran with scars visible and invisible who’s turned to a life of crime. He assembles his crew which includes his likable but loose cannon brother Todd (Brennan Keel Cook); college hoops star Shannon (Shomari Love) whose career was cut short by an injury and now barely gets by; and his friend Justin (Antonio Aaron) who is calculating and fearless but who doesn’t speak.
The job they’ve been hired for is as unglamorous as it is preposterous. William Chang (Roy Huang) who works at his father’s global import firm has hired the men to “fake kidnap” his more disciplined younger brother Robert (Sami Li) as part of a 25th birthday surprise. It’s reckless enough to reveal William’s weakness and jealousy and to set up a disaster since Chad and his crew have bigger plans: the well-stocked safe at the Chang family home.
Shifting timelines, the film builds its characters as the action unfolds. Chad and Todd’s late father was a war hero but while Todd openly mourns him, his older brother wrestles with guilt and anger. The Changs, too, are haunted by the ghost of a domineering father who favored Robert and dismissed William. Also in the shadowy mix is the Chang corporation’s secretary, Melissa (Grace Serrano), who moved to New York leaving her young son with family back in an unnamed homeland.
This blend of eclectic characters deepens the action which McTigue executes with confidence. There’s no excess violence but he creates suspense and tension on a modest budget as the team pulls off the heist but, in true crime thriller fashion, things go awry as we know they must. “Take the Night” provides enough depth and surprise to make it a trip worth taking.
