Kelly Marie Tran stars as an agent from the FBI Art Crimes Division in this Miami-set crime drama
“Family first” is a recurring motto through Forge, which premiered at SXSW this weekend. The directorial debut from Jing Ai Ng follows brother-sister art forgers Raymond (Brandon Soo Hoo, The Tiger’s Apprentice) and Coco (Andie Ju, Beef). After successfully scamming an art dealer in a sleazy hotel, the siblings decide to aim for wealthier targets. Raymond handles the dealing and provision of provenance while Coco uses her talent to mimic works of American artists. As they enter into a partnership with Holden Beaumont (Edmund Donovan, Civil War), FBI agent Emily (Kelly Marie Tran, The Last Jedi) starts investigating recent art forgeries in Florida.
There’s a strong sense of place to Ng’s Miami-set work, from the locations used (the decaying beauty of the Beaumont mansion screams old money Florida) to the characters she’s created. Ju’s Coco is the happy surprise in Forge. Raymond’s younger sister is serious about her work and proud of her art; her hunger for more leads the siblings to get deeply involved in Beaumont’s con. Techno pop by Ian Chang & Marco Carrión scores the film as we’re shown the fascinating tricks and technique involved in her art forgery.
The loose pacing to the storytelling lacks the speed of the typical crime caper; Forge is more character-driven as the film draws us into their world. Ng’s characters are multifaceted. We never fully trust Coco and Raymond, but that doesn’t stop the viewer from hoping they won’t get caught. The dynamic between the two shifts during their deal with Beaumont, and one wonders if the tight bond between the siblings remains true. Donovan looks the part of a dissolute heir who would attempt a Fyre fest-type con and is charming enough to convince the two forgers to join his scheme. Tran’s Emily is more cerebral, although her friendship with Coco and Raymond’s mom has her fighting her gut instinct about the two.
With unique characters and compelling performances, Forge keeps the audience engaged throughout. A colleague commented to me after the film about the rarity of a crime drama with no onscreen violence; it didn’t hit me til then. There’s an underlying menace through the dealings between the siblings and Beaumont, and even a slight current of discomfort between Coco and Emily. But no one is gunned down or stabbed. Instead, the twists in Ng’s smart depiction of white-collar crime involve wits, talent, and street smarts.
Forge screens again tomorrow at Alamo South Lamar as part of SXSW.
