Go is a spontaneous, silky, go-wrong thrill ride where life constantly moves. Following a few groups of misfits—store clerk Ronna Martin (Sarah Polley), her boss Simon Baines (Desmond Askew) and his friends, soap opera actors Adam (Jay Mohr) and Zack (Scott Wolf), and a bunch of cops—Go submerges audiences into impoverished LA nightlife’s cruel and perverted realities. In a failed drug deal and bust, amongst other chaotic happenings, each group must escape the law and each other whilst scoring enough cash to live another day in an expensive late-stage capitalism USA.

Go weaves a sour story of multi-sided financial desperation with leather jackets, drugs, club culture and rock and roll. Each character is somehow involved in this dominos-waiting-to-fall drug bust, and not by choice. They all need to make money; living costs. Ronda herself faces eviction, and the actors face jail time if they don’t do cops’ dirty work. Modern American capitalism (which is rapidly turning face globally as well), with outrageous rent and gas prices and only slightly cheaper ones for all other necessities, makes it virtually impossible to live without playing dirty and fast. Is it really on the store clerk and the actors for being forced to turn to a life of dealing? No. The system has failed them, as it has so many others—even without racism, sexism, or homophobia thrown into the mix. With LA parties and a chilled out tone to approach the film’s core themes, Go sleekly bounces between an entertaining thriller and a commentary on American life.

While financial repression and struggle themes are apparent, the film itself doesn’t necessarily dive into them. It focuses on stylishly slipping between perspectives and characters, showing how their lives are on the go to an overwhelming amount, even in a single night. It’s more fun than intentionally meaningful. Nonetheless, Go is a showcase of financial hardship turned into an exciting, euphoric adventure into the streets of LA where anything that could go wrong, does.

Screens in 35mm Wednesday, 8/14, 7:00 pm @ Coolidge Corner
Part of the repertory series: Out of Time 1999