User Reviews

This movie, I don't say film because no film was shot to make this movie, is shot extremely well. The use of cheese-ball video filters and effects (namely the scratched film look) are terrible but don't detract from the stunning videography. The sound is horrible, but that seems to be the norm with this level of independent production, and this viewer is willing to forgive. The story is overwritten, the dialogue for the most part would fit on a stage but is too melodramatic for the screen. Jeff Kielholtz turns in a solid performance, especially considering the vast amounts of exposition he was saddled with. Amber Davila is terrible in a terribly written role. Where to place the blame? The actress? The Wrtier? The Director? The Editor? all should share it equally in my opinion. Douglas Cathro is fantastic as Miller, the only character in the movie who could be called a lead and not a supporting cast member. He should get top billing, as his brooding performance is the glue that holds this movie together. As my headline said Heads or Tails is the best movie to come out of Frederick, MD to this point. The producers are the big fish in our very little pond and I certainly think Heads or Tails will get them the opportunity to swim with the sharks on the pacific coast.

I've been following this film for sometime. I saw "Heads or Tails" just like everyone else. I was one of the masses who attended the gala screening. You can dislike a film if you wish. That's someone's prerogative. But it seems like there are a few who are setting about in attacking "Heads or Tails" for odd reasons. It sounds like jealousy to me. And I think that's unfair. And I just wanted to say so.

"Heads or Tails" is not a perfect film. Not at all. Sound is horrible and must be fixed. It could be a little hard to follow at times, especially in the beginning. But the images it presented were beautiful. It was smart. And, all in all, there is major talent in front of and behind that camera.

Again, I am not related to the film's director and I don't date one of the film's actors. I'm just someone who came out in support and was pleasantly surprised with what I came away with. Like the title of this entry says: This is a solid dramatic thriller made on pennies. And because of that there is much to be jealous of. But I'm sure by now the filmmakers are use to dealing with that.

Everyone's a critic I guess. Bottom line: "Heads or Tails" is great... no matter what some small town'rs may say.

Kudos to McAdams and Cline for getting an absolute 10 concept to the screen. While I feel there is some fleshing out of the story line to be done here and there and a few audio and transition issues to be dealt with, this is a very good, intelligent psychological thriller. You don't often get serious and thoughtful dialogue regarding belief, myth, religion and science in this genre, but they've done quite a job incorporating these themes and story lines into the flow of the film. Nice pacing, good tone, good performances. Perhaps "Frailty" might be a fair movie to compare it to. Hopefully "heads or tails" will earn McAdams and Cline some notice. They have produced an impressive feature-length debut on a shoestring budget. In a word...excellent!

I went to see Heads or Tails on it's opening night at the Weinberg Center, and I was hoping it would be at least decent... It wasn't. I'd say about 80% of the audience had at least some sort of connection to someone involved with the making of the film (including myself), and that's not an exaggeration. So keep in mind that people are being very "generous" in the other reviews. Anyone who saw this movie and claims it was anything more than a pile of crap is either lying or they wrote the script. The camera work was decent but way over the top... It tried to be brilliant and innovative in EVERY scene. Sadly enough, that was he best part of the movie! The plot was just too much to try and absorb in this format... It might have made an almost mediocre novel. They introduced roughly 100 different characters in like the first 2 minutes of the movie, and that's never a good idea. Especially when your audience consists of people from a place nicknamed "Fredneck." The sound was terrible... at times in-audible. (and I'm not even referring to the 2 minute period where there was NO sound at all) As far as the acting goes, I can't really make any judgment b/c every other part of the movie was all so terrible that it's impossible to say if any of the actors have talent... It's like watching a football team with a REALLY bad Quarterback. I mean, MAYBE the team has some nice receivers, but we'll never know b/c the QB doesn't have the ability to throw them the ball. An interesting sub-plot to the whole "World Premiere" experience was that the guys who made the GOD-AWFUL and extremely over bearing score were in the lobby trying to sell CD's. It was quite awkward and I noticed a lot of people trying to avoid eye-contact with them as they rushed out of the lobby. It reminded me of watching people avoid the homeless. In summary, I would like to say that- not on any level, could this movie be called an even sub-par effort... I know that a lot of people worked very hard on this project, and I do not wish to demean their effort, but I couldn't sleep at night if I called this movie anything but what it is: AWFUL!

"heads or tails" is composed, paced and executed so brilliantly and beautifully. It's independent film at its best. Apparently there was no budget on this film and everyone worked for free. Crew built dollies and contraptions necessary for shooting because the budget wouldn't allow the expense for such purchases. From what I gather, most of the budget went into securing locations, etc. The talent behind the camera and in front merge together so wonderfully and effortlessly. It's just sublime. Sure, there are several issues (i.e. sound) that need to be cleared up. But it was the late great Pauline Kael who said 'great films are rarely ever perfect films'. What an achievement. With so little at their disposal these filmmakers reached tremendous heights. It could be compared to so many different films (i.e. "21 Grams", "Sixth Sense"), but in the end- for what this film is, and what it accomplished- "heads or tails" truly stands alone!

I saw this movie a little bit over a month ago at the World premiere at the Weinberg Center.

To be as subtle as I can possibly be, this movie was a steaming turd. It's primary focus was to create art out of nothing; it's premise is so incoherent and far-fetched that I completely stopped caring after the first 20 minutes. I go to the movies to be enlightened and/or entertained. heads or tails did neither. The cinematography was horribly inappropriate, the acting made me cringe and the background score was the worst I ever heard in a feature film. Ever. What's even sadder was the fact that the composer was selling copies of his score in the lobby. I regret not buying it; when I want to drown out the sounds of my elderly neighbors and their coital activities I'd have an excuse to pop it in my overpriced CD player.

I'm upset about losing the $12 of admission but what hurts me most is the fact that two hours of my life are gone. They were taken from me. They're never coming back. Gone forever, those two hours I could've spent staring at a brick wall or watching season three of Family Guy. If I wanted to kill brain cells, I'd have gone shopping at my local liquor store and jumped head first into a bottle of tequila. All remaining cans of this film should be immediately destroyed and the filmmakers should be banned from operating any film-making mechanization for the rest of their miserable lives.

Oh, and if you're reading this my newbie auteur friends, let me give you two words of advice: First, this film is NOT art. Any yuppie liberal imbecile can pick up a camera and point the lens at something for a prolonged amount of time. Doesn't make it lyrical. The masters of their techniques; Kubrick, De Palma, Scorsese and Tarantino achieved exemplary film-making purely through talent, not by self-indulgence. Go play in the sandbox and let the pros handle the big stuff, okay? Two: Stick to the default jobs at your local KFC restaurant. Your careers in that profession will soar farther then your film-making occupations, believe you me.

Sadly enough, while I doubt this film will ever pick up a distributor, I read somewhere that it will be submitted to this years Sundance film festival. God help that audience.