What could be more fun than a heist comedy that parodies Hollywood and is set at Christmas? That was enough to get me to look at Jeffrey Scott Collins’s Above the Line, a solid entertainment that, while it’s a bit loose and ragtag (especially in the third act), it still has enough sharp edges and solid giggles to make it worth a look. It begins on Christmas Eve as six anonymous Hollywood types are summoned to a mysterious mansion. They are as yet unsuccessful writers, directors, actors, producers, and other creative types. Ordered to remain anonymous, they are given codenames: Princess (Sophia Ali), Ghost (Reno Wilson), Cowboy (Dylan Playfair), Dame (Jamie Lee, a writer for Ted Lasso), Spaceman (Jackson Pace), and Hero (John Way).
After putting their heads together, they discover the reason for his gathering. The six of them are to work together to steal several Best Picture trophies from a downright malevolent movie mogul called Jack Woodrow (a terrific Gregg Henry), who may or may not be modeled after the equally malevolent Harvey Weinstein (pretty likely). Each character gets a flashback explaining how Woodrow managed to cheat them, adding a genuine layer of pain. (We’re talking about more than just bruised egos. We’re talking stolen creations, banishment, and utter humiliation.) The bumbling heist itself is one of the best sequences, funny in all the right ways, and Cedric the Entertainer provides a bit of levity in a small role. Above the Line isn’t very Christmassy – it’s mainly used for colorful background decoration – but that shouldn’t stop it from being a potential holiday re-watch.
