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< Back Opportunity combines an anti-hero with unusual villains Morris Hill Productions, 2024 96 minutes Director/Writer: Rusty Rehl Reading Time: 5 minutes Opportunity Hope Springs Internal (VG1KXOOFFBESR7C9) 00:00 / 05:40 📷 : Used with permission, Morris Hill Productions White: Movies and TV shows that make you laugh, or involve urgency, like chase scenes or other physical activity Ginkgo Biloba: Youthful, lighthearted, and fun movies and TV shows Chris Chaisson 2024-12-02 When watching a story unfold, we often adopt the perspective of the character most central to it. Generally, they have basic decency or some relatable quality, while the antagonistic force is motivated by greed or a general desire to harm. However, sometimes we can be in the thick of a story and say, “Wait a minute, who is actually the jerk here?” Anti-heroes are a mainstay in cinema and a good way to shake up the routine. Rusty Rehl’s debut feature Opportunity provides us with just such a character. Opportunity revolves around Patrick, a down-on-his-luck thirty-something living out of his van while trying to buy a house. He is “roughing it” somewhat unnecessarily, as he has savings but simply refuses to rent. In order to secure a loan, he agrees to pull off a theft for Jared, a mischievous businessman, by breaking into the home of a well-connected accountant named Tim to do so. With his friend Donnie’s help, he pulls it off. But when Tim discovers his identity, Patrick goes on the run, and a cat-and-mouse game ensues with a group of Mormon gangsters in pursuit. Patrick’s mindset may be head-scratching to some viewers yet make perfect sense to others. Who would choose to live out of a vehicle on principle when they have the funds to put a roof over their head? Patrick sidesteps the question when Donnie poses it to him early in the film. He seems preoccupied with the down payment on a home but nonchalant about the other costs of home ownership. In addition to being stubborn, Patrick’s obliviousness to the costs of owning a home perfectly illustrates immaturity and naïveté, respectively. The younger we are, the more idealistic we tend to be about our life and career goals, overlooking the forest for the trees. Patrick’s nomadic propensity speaks to an anti-establishment mentality, which makes him forego the most common-sense option that presents the stability he needs at the moment. Though not the sharpest tool in the shed, Patrick’s friend Donnie is loyal to the end. Donnie seems far more invested in their friendship than in his not-so-monogamous relationship with his girlfriend Julia, who loathes Patrick. Julia, whom Donnie also financially supports, has dictated to Donnie that she is free to see other people but he is not. This nugget sticks in Patrick’s craw, and leads to arguments between him and Donnie. As in most friendships, each has to point out the other’s blind spots, but they fall on deaf ears more often than not. Other than Patrick’s and Donnie’s squabbles, Opportunity ’s comedic relief stems from its anomalous villains: a group of well-mannered, articulate, Bible-pushing Mormons who have their hands in crypto. They comprise a perfect villain for a crime comedy, as they are not nearly as intimidating as the gangsters we typically see in the media. They are always professionally dressed, never use profanity and speak politely even amidst altercations. By contrast, Patrick consistently name-calls and uses vulgar, hostile language every time he encounters them. This is a characterization frequently used in screwball comedies; our “hero” behaves like a bad guy and our bad guys behave like heroes. Consider Animal House , where the protagonists are troublemakers who destroy property and the “villain” is the dean trying to hold them accountable. When Patrick and Donnie break into a safe and steal a computer device containing a virtual crypto wallet, the gangsters go after them while also trying not to tarnish their public images. Patrick and Donnie go to their tech-savvy friend Tony, who works in IT for Jared’s accounting firm. Reluctant to get involved, Tony repeatedly denies them entry to his house until they insist and shove their way past him. Again, Patrick and Donnie exhibit off-putting behavior despite being the duo we’re conditioned to root for. Tony figures out the value of what they have stolen before kicking them out of his place. The rising action of the film inches toward a violent climax between Patrick, Donnie, Jared and the gangsters, who all at times seem like disorganized stooges. Once the dust has settled, the audience is left wondering who actually was in the right. We can use the adage that “desperation compromises judgement” to explain Patrick’s actions. For Donnie, we can conclude that loyalty can pull us into all kinds of calamities. And as for Tim and the gangsters, we can surmise that they just want their property back. Ultimately, this is how comedy suspends our disbelief. In the same way we watch Vin Diesel drive out of a skyscraper window into a nearby skyscraper window and accept it as plausible, comedies convince us to be on the side of a criminal protagonist who is perpetually mean-spirited, even to his companions. In terms of plot, Opportunity may bring to mind the Coen Brothers hit No Country for Old Men , where a hunter steals a large sum of money resulting from a drug deal gone wrong and winds up in the crosshairs of a psychopathic killer. Clearly, Rusty Rehl’s feature takes a far more light-hearted tone, but both present a main character with compromised morals and cat-and-mouse games erupting in violence. 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Discover why film lovers trust Cup of Tea Critiques. Our tea-stimonials highlight Film & Movie reviews that deliver depth and perspective. Click here to see more! Tea-stimonials What filmmakers are saying Short Film: Operation: Cavity Alex Morsanutto, Founder Silvermine Productions "... I wanted to extend my sincere appreciation for your time and thoughtful critique of "Operation: Cavity." Your feedback was incredibly insightful and demonstrated a keen understanding of the nuances within the film. I particularly valued your observations regarding character development, as well as your analysis of the cinematography and sound design elements. Your attention to detail truly enhances the depth of your review. Your input serves as invaluable guidance for our ongoing creative endeavors, and we are grateful for your contribution to our growth as filmmakers. Thank you once again for your time and expertise. We look forward to sharing future projects with you and hearing your thoughts."

Explore Critical Evaluation of Film & Short Film Reviews with Cup of Tea Critiques, your online source for sharp insights on movies and television. Click here to see what we have to offer! Tea Brew Legend Our critiques are tagged with a tea brew that evokes a feel for the movie or television show. So, instead of likes, ratings, emojis, or thumbs up or down, they are assigned a tea that, based on its benefits, gives you a sense of the production's feel and substance. Below we show several plants that teas are made from. So, scroll to figure out which tea best fits the movie or TV show that matches your mood. We hope you enjoy our critical evaluation of film & short film reviews Photo by Emma Van Sant on Unsplash Tea: Barley Category: Herbal Barley tea is good for oral health, which translates nicely to shows that have a lot of dialog like: The Accident , Between the Temples , and Flamin' Hot — to name just a few! Genre: Movies and TV shows with a lot of dialog Tea: Chamomile Category: Herbal Chamomile tea induces sleepiness. This is not to say that shows marked with this tea are boring; they're actually rather calming — not action packed. Try the Oscar-nominated film, American Fiction , The Long Game, or The Old Oak for example. Genre: Family dramas Photo by Rebecca Asryan on Unsplash Tea: Coca Category: Herbal Coca tea can produce psychosomatic effects, making it perfect for marking movies and shows about drugs or disorienting presentations such as Back to Black , Lonesome Soldier , and The Substance . Genre: Movies and TV shows about drugs or with disorienting presentations Licensed from Adobe Stock Photo by David Dawson on Unsplash Tea: Dandelion Category: Herbal Dandelion tea is a bitter herbal tea that fits with movies and shows with difficult or heavy subjects like Fair Play , the Oscar–nominated film, Killers of the Flower Moon , Monkey Man , and Presumed Innocent . Genre: Movies and TV shows with heavy subjects Tea: Ginger Category: Herbal Ginger tea has many benefits, one of which is protecting the brain against disease. This translates perfectly to thought-provoking movies and shows, for example: the Oscar-nominated film, Drive My Car , Life After , Maestro, and War is Over! . Genre: Thought-provoking movies and TV shows Photo by Joris Neyt from Pexels Photo by Uwe Nake on Unsplash Tea: Ginkgo Biloba Category: Herbal Ginkgo Biloba tea slows signs of aging, so what better movies and shows than fun, youthful , and lighthearted ones like Nobody is Crazy , Rye Lane , and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar . Genre: Youthful, lighthearted, and fun movies and TV shows Tea: Ginseng Category: Herbal Like Chrysanthemum, its floral counterpart, Ginseng tea acts as a stimulant. We reserve this designation for suspenseful and intense thrillers that contain some violence. From, Leave the World Behind, Longlegs , and Rebel Ridge are among these. Genre: Suspenseful and intense thrillers Photo by Rodion Kutsaev from Pexels Licensed from Adobe Stock Tea: Honeybush Category: Herbal Honeybush tea is calming. But unlike chamomile, this one is best for non-family dramas with adult themes like A Good Day Will Come , Challengers , and Rez Ball . Genre: Nonfamily dramas with strong adult and/or socioeconomic themes Tea: Jasmine Category: Green Jasmine tea is sweet and relaxing, making it a great sip for movies and shows with heart, positive vibes, and warm messages like the ones in these: Babes , Bob Marley: One Love , Perfect Days, and the Oscar–nominated film, The Holdovers . Genre: Movies and TV shows with heart, positive vibes, and warm messages Photo by Tanya Nedelcheva on Unsplash Photo licensed from Shutterstock Tea: Masala Chai Category: Black Masala Chai is a black tea that promotes strong bones, oral and digestive health, and reduces the risk of stroke, making this drink perfect for movies and shows about toughness or athletic competition like Lawmen: Bass Reeves, Napoleon, and The Brothers Sun . Genre: Movies and TV shows about toughness and athletic competition Tea: Matcha Category: Green Matcha improves mental focus, making it perfect for navigating mysteries and figuring out whodunnits such as Decision to Leave , Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, The Independent , and The Night Agent . Genre: Mysteries or whodunnits Photo by Michael Burrows from Pexels Photo by Simon Lee on Unsplash Tea: Mint Category: Herbal Mint tea has a cooling effect and is known to reduce fever, which makes it a good fit for movies and shows filmed in cold weather or blizzards, such as Blow the Man Down, Society of the Snow, and Wind River . Genre: Movies and TV shows in cold weather and blizzard conditions Tea: Oolong Category: Oolong Oolong tea is fat burning, supports weight loss, and helps mental performance, making it compatible with movies and shows that make you laugh or involve physical activity like dance and exercise. Chevalier, Florida Man, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith are just three examples! Genre: Movies and TV shows that make you laugh or involve physical activities like dance and exercise Licensed from Adobe Stock Photo by Jared Subia on Unsplash Tea: Peach Category: Floral Peach tea has a sweet and pleasing aroma, making it perfect for movies and shows with a springtime feel and imagery of the season, such as Bloodline, Florida Man, and I Love That for You . Genre: Movies and TV shows with a springtime feel or with images of the season Tea: Rosemary Category: Herbal Rosemary tea has a sharp pine fragrance and is proven to boost memory, making it perfect for signaling stimulating shows with intense action like Civil War , Lawman: Bass Reeves , and Monkey Man . Genre: Movies and TV shows with intense action Photo licensed from Shutterstock Photo by Mohammed Amiri on Unsplash Tea: Saffron Category: Herbal Besides the beauty of its color, Saffron tea promotes eye health, which transfers well to movies and shows with great visual effects like Dream Scenario , Leave the World Behind , the Emmy– and Golden Globe– nominated series, The Bear, and The Substance . Genre: Movies and TV shows with great visual effects Tea: Sage Category: Herbal Similar to its floral counterpart (Lavender), Sage tea is an anxiety/stress reducer, which makes it great for watching films with low-key characters like those in Bob Marley: One Love, Living, and Perfect Days . Genre: Movies and TV shows with low-key characters Photo by Phillip Larking on Unsplash Tea: White Category: White White tea is fat burning, supports healthy weight loss and skin, and slows aging. All are qualities that make it a good fit for shows that make you laugh or involve urgency like chase scenes or other rigorous physical activity such as those in Full Time and I Got This . Genre: Movies and TV shows that make you laugh, or involve urgency, like chase scenes or other physical activity Licensed from Shutterstock Tea: Yarrow Category: Herbal Like Ginger, Yarrow tea promotes digestive health, reduces fever, cold, and cramps, and even relieves itchy skin, making it appropriate for movies and shows about illness or that are set in hospitals or other medical institutions such as those in A Girl Upstairs, From, the Oscar–nominated film, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Swarm . Genre: Movies and TV shows about illness or set in hospitals or similar medical institutions Licensed from Adobe Stock Sign-up for new reviews, exclusives, deep dives, and more First name Last name Enter your email here I agree to the terms & conditions Sign-up Thanks for joining us!

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Learn about Cup of Tea Critiques, an online hub for Proof of Concept & Insightful Movie Reviews designed for film and TV enthusiasts. Click here if this sounds like your cup of tea! Welcome to Cup of Tea Critiques® Cup of Tea Critiques examines movies and television series through a critical lens. Our main focus is independent cinema—films rarely talked about, found in mainstream theaters, nor advertised on billboards. However, they are broadly available on streaming platforms and can be watched from the comfort of your own home. The shows consist of stories from across the globe—often important, funny, and entertaining stories—that captivate and inform, expose you to underrepresented perspectives, stimulate your thoughts, and facilitate discussion. Reviewing elements like story, depth of character, aesthetics, and themes, we develop a synopsis and denote it with a tea brew that evokes a feel for the work. So, instead of likes, ratings, emojis, or thumbs up or down, our reviews are tagged with a type of tea that, based on its benefits, gives you a sense of the show's feel and substance. In the mood for a lot of dialog? Maybe a movie tagged with a barley tea is just for you. Prefer something light? Perhaps a show tagged with ginkgo biloba is what you're looking for. Don't worry, we provide a legend that describes every tea we use. So, what movie or show are you in the mood for? Reading the review and noting the show's brew will help you decide if it's your "cup of tea." ® chris@cupofteacritiques.com Hi! I’m Chris reba@cupofteacritiques.com Hi! I’m Brandon brandon@cupofteacritiques.com Hi! I’m Reba Subscribe to receive email alerts for new movie and television critiques. Follow us on our Facebook, Instagram , and Letterboxd pages.

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