TONIC – A Review by John Strange
Sebastian Poe (Billy Blair), a piano player who works one-night gigs at bars to make a living. He takes care of his sister and has developed a bad addiction to his sister’s OxyContin. He owes his dealer, a local dirty cop, a LOT of money that he can’t pay.
Sebastian is not a bad guy, which makes him an anti-hero. This anti-hero is having a very bad night.
Bar owners keep cancelling his gigs so he can’t make the money to pay his debt. Then the dealer gives him a way to pay off his debt. All he has to do is find a weapon and kill a man. Easy, right? Not so. Watching Sebastian do his best in his inebriated and doped-up state is rough.
This musician is so down on his luck that he gets excited to find a quarter on the ground when he is trying to call his sister, Elise (Lori Petty).
This film is a downer. Its redeeming quality for me is the location where it was shot. Deep Ellum is a very old section of Dallas, Texas. It’s rich in the history of Texas music. I have spent a lot of time there, so I was continually seeing streets, signs, and clubs that I knew.
Writer/director Derek Presley has made a very dark film about a man who is at the end of his luck. But, like the quarter, if you watch closely, you’ll see the other bit of luck he encounters during this very bad night.
Director: Derek Presley
Cast: Lori Petty, Ed Westwick, Richard Riehle, Jason Coviello, Vernon Davis, Billy Blair, Luke Barnett, Ammie Masterson, Henry Penzi, Rigan Machado
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Selig Rating: 3.5 Stars
Runtime: 103 Min.
Release Date: 5/17/2025
VOD Release: FAWESOME (streaming service)
Language: English
Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller
Movie Site: TONIC Official Site
Trailer: TONIC Trailer
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie, well worth the price.
4 Stars – Good movie
3 Stars – OK movie
2 Stars – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
1 Star – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn’t paid for it.