I've Got Your Number

1940s film noir satire, as hard-boiled, cynical private detective Vic Winslow wallows within the gritty, sordid, sleazy world of blackmail, murder, corruption, mobsters, pure evil, and a femme fatale. This short satire contains all the elements contained within the film noir genre of its era, in the voice and style of Raymond Chandler. A dark, gritty tale of hard-hearted, pessimistic fatalism that transcends and transforms the characters toward a resumption of heart and hope. COVERAGE - FILMMATIC SCREENPLAY COMPETITION 2020 This is the type of short that tells a very character driven story. I love these type of intimate, personal stories because they pack in so much information on each page. Though the medium only allows the reader to understand Winslow so well, the writer manages to cram in so much minutia and character detail in so natural a way to paint a very vivid picture of a complete life. The snapshot we get here points to a rich history and a fully lived in world. It’s easy to imagine the characters living their lives outside the pages we get in this short. The story we do get is powerful, direct, and packs a lot of staying power. This is thanks to instantly engaging characters, even as the premise and plot take their time to unfold. Winslow really was the main draw for me in this script. Though I’m not normally one for constant voice over, the writer presents the story in such a stylized cool way that I was completely on board. Winslow has that classic hardboiled detective sound that flirts with cliché, but I found compelling. It was interesting just seeing the way he looks at the world through his dialogue. It made for compelling moment to moment fun even without the bombastic plot points. A distinct cast and twisting plot points are calling cards of this script. There’s a lot of fun to be had with the concept, but it was the depth of the characters and their complex choices that impressed me. This is a script that doesn’t stray too far from classic noire conventions, but knows how to use them to maximal effect. I enjoyed the turns of the plot and the grit of the narrative. A good read all in all.