“That’s what friends are for,” as the saying goes, but it’s something that gets more difficult with each passing decade. You know what they say — one of Jesus’ biggest miracles was being a 30-something man with 12 good friends. For those who are already in their 30s, 40s, or even 50s, hopefully you still have a posse that’s close-knit enough to save your sorry butt if you happen to pull something idiotic at such a seasoned age. Yes, the new indie comedy Caper, premiering at this year’s SXSW, suggests that you don’t have to be Gen Z to pull a whoopsie and send an accidental text to the wrong person, potentially yielding horrifically dire consequences. That’s because the text itself could be classified as something Merriam-Webster defines as a “sext.” Ever heard of it? You can figure it out if not.
And what’s even sillier about the outrageous premise of Caper is that the character who sends the risqué message happens to be the eldest guy in the group. Or at least, he appears to be. Maybe that’s why the rest of the gang is so game to set out for an overnight odyssey of idiotic proportions, in this latest New York City-set comedy from writer-director Dean Imperial (Godfather of Harlem). It’s a series of riotous gags that may start running stale by the end, but it’s still harmless fun — emphasis on “fun” — that’s best consumed with your own group of buddies.
I Sext by With a Little Help From My Friends
Caper
3.5
/5
Set in New York City, Caper follows a group of men navigating the city’s underbelly over seven hours in a frantic attempt to erase a compromising message from a boss’s phone. As they hack, bribe, and bluff, they confront personal fears and societal misconceptions about gender dynamics.
- Release Date
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March 7, 2025
- Genres
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Drama, Comedy, Crime
- Runtime
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88 minutes
- Cast
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Connor Strycharz, David ‘Wex’ Wechsler, Shacottha Fields, Asa James, Christopher Tramantana, Zach LeBeau, Anastasia Romashko, Frank Sallo, Gerrard Lobo, John Bianco, Kevin Kane, Michael Panes, Sam Gilroy, Babe Howard, Joseph R. Sicari, Walter Masterson
- Director
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Dean Imperial
- Writers
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Dean Imperial
- Producers
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Andrew Zolot, Steve Loff
- There’s a funny energy to the film that has the rhythm of Larry David and vibe of After Hours.
- A nice group of characters feel lived-in thanks to charming performances.
- The movie may be too silly (and masculine) for many people.
Caper begins with perhaps its true protagonist, Chris (the sharply appealing Christopher Tramantana), in a remarkably striking introduction that effectively sets the tone for the rest of the nonsense that will ensue. His presumed full-time job is directing mature-rated plays that employ NYC’s homeless population as their actors. No, we’re not kidding. When a rehearsal predictably turns sour, he storms back to a homebase of sorts, which serves as the hub for the brains of the operation that will soon come to fruition. The initial plan for the night — as Chris and pals Duke (Asa James), Billy (Sam Gilroy), Larry (Richard Cooper) and more soon trickle in — is an innocuous spree of booze, card games and social reflection on their seemingly mediocre lives.
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They come to realize that one lad is missing: Phil (the riotous Ron Palais), a disgruntled, married working man who has recently begun a fling with a younger woman. But when Phil’s latest kinky text message is accidentally delivered to his female boss’ phone instead, he’s this close to a heart attack. Luckily, Chris and the gang are there to try and help, claiming they have at least a few tech-whiz connects who might be able to undo the message-sending, thereby deleting any evidence from “the cloud.”
While the younger and charming Billy keeps Phil company at their unofficial headquarters — talking Phil down off the ledge, etc. — the rest of the posse hit the road across New York’s underbelly to see if their connections can come through in the clutch. Among the series of head-scratching stops they make during their quest, one standout is an X-rated nightclub run by one of their connections, a potentially drug-fueled lunatic who likes to remove “useless” organs from his own body — and also doubles as a tech whiz, but can barely keep it together. In moments like these, Caper becomes an outrageous blend of risqué content. Think Eyes Wide Shut meets Curb Your Enthusiasm. Ultimately, the friends have to reckon with what great lengths they would venture for a desperate pal in need.
Silliness Builds to a Great Finale
There are a few other standout moments with New York wise-guy feels that would make auteurs like Martin Scorsese (think After Hours) proud. For instance, you’ll love it when the portly Larry posts up at the front desk of Phil’s boss’ swanky apartment building and tries to sweet-talk the elderly doorman (Joseph R. Sicari, forever a scene-stealer in bit roles). The problem is, the doorman isn’t a door-woman, so Larry has what they call “limits” when it comes to turning on a certain charm. Therefore, since this is New York’s underbelly, why not turn to bribery next? It doesn’t go well, and the two New Yorkers end up bickering to the point where the authorities might just get involved. Cue the sitcom-esque hilarity, in the vein of Costanza from Seinfeld.
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With an exhausting saga like the one these hopeless gents endure (which may be too silly for its own good at points), the story’s climax must deliver for the viewers — be it epic, tragic, or perhaps even funnier than what’s been dished thus far. Fortunately, director Imperial lands on one that contains all three of these ingredients. Throughout the film’s tight runtime (barely hitting 90 minutes with credits), you’ll be itching to see if Phil’s boss ever shows up. If so, will she even see Phil’s infamous text message — the one that ruled them all? No spoilers here, but certain loops are effectively closed, including those of the more principal characters. Take Chris, for example. One could argue he’s the heart and soul of this whole odyssey across the Big Apple, and we ultimately learn what the lost soul really needs besides his simple desire to help out a pal.
Some more star power in Caper would have helped for a broader appeal once distribution comes along, but you can’t win them all. Maybe these guys will become stars at some point; they certainly have the chemistry and, in vintage indie-film fashion, are so uniquely fitting for their bumbling roles that you might even mistake them for non-actors. Some of them have indeed starred in a number of other projects in years prior, and given the quirky way in which Imperial’s film takes its bow before the end credits, don’t be surprised if Caper 2 were to take shape down the line and reunite these guys at a bigger stage in their careers.
From 17D Productions, Caper recently premiered at the 2025 South by Southwest Film Festival. Caper screens again on March 9 and March 14. Find showtimes and more information here.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
