Pocket Listing (2015)

Director: Conor Allyn

Cast: Rob Lowe, Burt Reynolds, Jessica Clark

Synopsis: A disgraced real estate agent uses a pocket listing opportunity to get revenge on the man who ruined him.

It’s sort of appropriate that Pocket Listing, a film so pre-occupied with what it considers to be the glamour of duplicity, should allocate as much space on its promotional material to two former major stars who clock up maybe ten minutes screen time between them, as it does to the mediocre acting talent that occupies the bulk of the film’s running time.    Apart from the alluring chick in the bikini, of course – that always moves units, and a lot of people really aren’t going to care whether she can act or not.

Directed by Conor Allyn in a style reminiscent of the kind of movies Guy Ritchie was making at the turn of the century, Pocket Listing rips through a story with potential at breakneck speed, tossing plot points in all directions as it breathlessly tries to convince us that we’re watching something of substance.   Talking direct to camera like a third-rate Jordan Belfort, slick real estate agent James Woodman (James Jurdi) manfully endeavours to fill in the blanks for the audience as he sees his privileged life fall apart after the envious son (Logan Fahey) of his boss (Burt Reynolds – City Heat, Hollow Creek) transfers money meant for the company into Woodman’s personal bank account.   One year later, when he’s singled out by Lana Hunter (Jessica Clark), a femme of the fatale variety, who invites him to manage the quick cash sale of a villa belonging to her husband (Rob Lowe), Woodman uses the opportunity to get revenge on his former boss’s son…

Pocket Listing appears to bear the imprint of every movie Jurdi, who wrote the screenplay as well as starring, has ever admired, but he doesn’t come anywhere near to creating rounded, believable characters.   In fact, the cast of characters is a Who’s Who of stereotypes who have no surprises to offer despite the movie’s numerous twists and double crosses.   It’s a lot easier to dislike Woodman than admire him, despite Jurdi’s attempts to push us in that direction, and kind of tough to care what happens to him or anyone else in the film.   Pocket Listing has a certain superficial entertainment value, but is instantly forgettable.

(Reviewed 2nd August 2016)