The case of a disappearing mother named Tamala has Lieutenant Bobby Clarke (Keith Johnson) and Special Agent Natalie Brim (Kate Mobley) turning their Tennessee town upside down. The case begins to quickly unravel, and the police realize it isn’t just the woman who’s gone missing but her children may be in danger as well.
A stoic cop with a dark past, a hard-nosed partner, and a countryside flipped on its head are the established trappings of the genre. In many ways, Cubic Zirconia faithfully adheres to these established tropes. Familiar as it all may seem, writer, director, editor, and cinematographer Jaron Lockridge has the remarkable ability to draw you into his twisted web of murder and deception.
There are some inspired creative choices, like the color grading that has this strong shade of orange. Typically, we would associate this color with warmth and safety, yet here, it creates an odd sense of discomfort. The township and the characters enjoy a healthy balance of screen time, where you never feel overwhelmed by what you are seeing. If anything, this minimalistic approach can sometimes be to the film’s detriment. Sometimes locations are too clean or too simple, making the backdrop to the detective work feel uninspiring. Likewise, the ambient sounds can often feel absent from certain scenes. These missing pieces of the puzzle take the gritty punch out of the story, and for those who prefer their police procedurals on the nastier side, it may not hold up in the long run.
Yet the mystery at the heart of the film will likely keep you engaged. Are those closest to Tamala telling the truth? What about her husband Jeff (Carter Nelms)? Perhaps her friends Kayla (Amy Taylor) and John (Pat Prentiss) know something they haven’t disclosed? With so few answers and so many clues, you’re bound to get invested quickly in this budding saga. Lockridge’s screenplay brilliantly shines the spotlight on everyone, shuffling the townsfolk around for us to pass judgment. This revolving door of broken people makes for a compelling watch, chief among them is Clarke himself, who has a troubled past. Johnson’s performance is fantastic, anchoring the film’s tone with his no-frills attitude. The ensemble surrounding him is also excellent, especially Mobley’s Brim, who makes a strong impression later on.
It’s a rare sight for indie talent to tackle serious crime dramas, and while Cubic Zirconia can’t make all its elements come together seamlessly, the team at Misguided Perceptions Media Group should be very proud of the intrigue their film musters up.
