Where to watch Underbelly
3 Stars
In this twist-filled erotic thriller, a college student in search of a professor’s missing niece becomes entangled with the small town’s criminal underbelly including sexy prostitutes, vile gangsters and thuggish hit men. Hot women appear at every turn, just not the one he’s looking for. Even with the help of a sexy hooker, will he live long enough to find out what really going on?
Underbelly is an obviously extremely low budget thriller. I’m such a fan of these “just go out and do it budget be damned” filmmakers, and half the fun is seeing what can be pulled off with no budget, and Joe Sherlock doesn’t disappoint.
The main character, Tom, is the exact opposite of James Bond in everyway. Overweight, not very attractive, slow moving – Tom is all these, but he’s also got the heart of a hero (or maybe he just ate the heart of a hero), and in a Joe Sherlock flick where basically every female is naked and willing, it takes a lot of heart to remain the “good guy”.
The flick is a basic mistaken identity situation, with Tom being asked to deliver a car to a professor’s niece, and Tom getting mistaken for something he’s not in a mafia run world. Still he lumbers on his quest, desperate for the cash he’ll receive from delivering the vehicle. The film has comedic aspects as Tom is like a fish out of water in a seedy underworld as henchmen throw punches and women throw themselves at him – neither of which he is prepared for or appears to know how to deal with (which makes you wonder how all these characters are mistaking Tom as belonging in this Underbelly).
I’ve seen several Sherlock flicks now, and I’m also kinda blown away by how good the endings are, and Underbelly is no exception. The Sherlockian writing often pays off in the end (even for the films he only helmed the director’s chair) and from experience watching these no budget flicks they often don’t end on a high note, yet his movies tend to go out with a satisfying twist or a bang (not sexually, although there’s plenty of sexual banging going on throughout the movies).
Regardless of the budget restraints the film is cast well and likewise the actors easily fall into place, the writing works and the story kept me interested. Tom Shaffer is surprisingly believable in the role (finding the perfect Tom to play Tom, again just great casting, although Tom Cruise would have killed it) and has a likeable on screen presence as does the rest of the cast.
The film as a whole just kind of works, and ya it’s slopped together in many ways and I’m sure a lot of folks will judge it based on budget alone — as for me I really get a kick out of seeing what’s possible with just a camcorder, some actors and fake blood. (and it’s Joe Sherlock so lots of boobs)
Directed by: Joe Sherlock
Written by: Joe Sherlock
Starring: Tom Shaffer, Dee Alsman, Shannon Barksdale, John Bowker