The Hustle (2019)

Proving that, when it comes to comedy, once you go black you never go back, Heckle has arrived!

Hanging out in left field might not sound like a lot of fun when you play baseball and your rookie pitcher strikes out an entire line-up, but Heckle prides itself on its position out there in the boonies and, with a head-rotating conclusion, manages a guaranteed win when it comes to horror hijinks thanks to its left-of-center approach about never meeting your idols.

"doesn’t quite live up to the promise in its execution, but it definitely delivers a memorable punchline"


Written by Airell Anthony Hayles (They’re Outside) and directed by Martyn Pick, this horror  comedy hybrid takes flight with the sudden death of comedian Ray Kelly (Police Academy’s Steve Guttenberg in a cameo role).  Don’t worry, he’s a bit of a bastard and his in-your-face antics are what’s left of his dark legacy, but when another up-and-coming comic, Joe Johnson (a fun Guy Combes), gets tapped to play him in s bio-pic, he can’t help but let it go to his head and his comic routine, which also follows in Kelly’s steps.

Unfortunately, Joe tempts fate all too much.  Even the heckling he encounters is eerily reminiscent of Kelly’s fateful encounter.  Brushing off a fair amount of warning, Joe grabs some friends and decides to celebrate Halloween with a group of friends and does it up right with a grand celebration.  With an ‘80s theme selected and plenty of beer and weed in tow, they twist the joke of their actions into their own backs because, yes, they do indeed get the attention of a mask-wearing psycho!The Hustle (2019)

Turns out that no one is innocent.  Snaking with connective threads, Heckle might be a low budget shoot, but the premise is strong as a black comedy goes for the jugular in tone and in action, succeeding in pulling off a surprising finale.  Some of the fun comes in watching Guttenberg continue to go dark in his late career upswing, but Heckle also hands out some solid kills along the way. 

Featuring a memorable performance from the late Clark Gable III, grandson and namesake of the legendary Hollywood actor and American movie icon, Clark Gable, Heckle doesn’t quite live up to the promise in its execution, but it definitely delivers a memorable punchline.

Uncork’d Entertainment will release Martyn Pick’s pitch-black comedy/horror HECKLE, starring internationally-recognized actor Steve Guttenberg (“Veronica Mars”, Cocoon, Police Academy), for a digital release on March 8. 

Some jokes kill.

3/5 stars

Film Details

The Hustle (2019)

MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime:
81 mins
Director
: Martyn Pick
Writer:
Airell Anthony Haylesr
Cast:
Clark Gable III; Steve Guttenberg; Guy Combes
Genre
: Comedy
Tagline:
the jokes on him.
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor:
Uncork’d Entertainment
Official Site:
Release Date:
March 8, 2022
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:

Synopsis: A stand up comedian encounters a seemingly insane heckler, who becomes his stalker. This is a heckle on a whole new level.

Art

The Hustle (2019)