Fixed

Directed by Jez Alsop

2021

Fixed is a new locally made thriller from filmmaker Jez Alsop and begins with an explosion as a bone-crunching fist fight at an underground boxing match sets the scene for a feature that delves into crime, gangs and violent confrontations.

Nicholas Clarke plays Daz Clemance who is about to leave Birmingham to start a new life in Spain with his girlfriend Bonnie (Esther Stanford) whilst attempting to let go of his criminal past.

But he’s accused of fixing the fight and is stabbed then dragged into a locked cupboard awaiting his fate from some unsavoury characters.

With the room guarded, Daz does still has access to a mobile phone and desperately speaks to his loved ones, criminal associates and friends in an attempt to “fix” his way out of the situation. On the phone we find out about his previous crimes and that his flight goes in just 2 hours. Will he escape in time?

Clarke plays Daz well with his confidence on the phone undermined by his anxiety and increasing frustration. Whilst Daz portrays a cocksure criminal, his lies to his girlfriend and others show he still cares about his reputation but is frustrated as his repeated attempts to get help are thwarted.

And add a dash of a young Sean Harris into the mix and you have a more than satisfying central performance from Clarke which is pivotal to this type of film’s success.

Like Locke and The Guilty, Fixed mostly plays out as a “telephone” drama with split screens, video calling and texts being the spinning plates that keep the dialogue and narrative along.

This contained nature of the film also reflects the circumstances of the feature’s creation, which was made during the pandemic lockdown. With mostly one actor on screen, the spectre of films like Buried and Phone Booth also hover over the story, and writer Ryan Davis does an admirable job of creating drama in just a single location.

Nisaro Karim plays Ravi who Daz asks to get items to aid in his breakout and his efforts to help and subsequent bike chase play out on Daz’s phone in a well-executed piece of virtual action.

The claustrophobia is palpable throughout, but the very nature of the situation (the dingy grey walls and facetime calls) means the film isn’t particularly visually arresting. But it’s honourable to get such a well-made feature off the ground during the last 12 months in itself.

Daz’s injury and his lies both soon begin to affect his optimism about ever getting out. And there are some emotional scenes as he attempts to redeem parts of his past during his telephone chats. Yet they prove to be continually unfruitful, and his downward spiral persists.

Head gangster Al (played by It’s Just a Boy & Martin Sharpe is Sorry actor Dean Kilbey) is the boss hoping to reap his full revenge but Daz’s attention turns to his family to make amends and help them avoid the mistakes he’s experienced himself. And as we barrel towards the film’s conclusion we get a bookend of violence and the tease of possible redemption.

Fixed ends up being an ambitious success given both the production’s and the story’s limitations. By the time it all wraps up, audiences will feel sympathy for Daz, much in part due to an extraordinary central performance from Clarke. And with some great voiceover support acting and a swiftly-edited story, Fixed is a fulfilling thriller that uses its limited one-location setup to generate multiple ways to satisfy and then some.

Michael Sales