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Failure!

2023 film by Alex Kahuam

Image credit is listed at the end of this article.

Failure! is a 2023 crime comedy film written and directed by Alex Kahuam. The film stars Ted Raimi, Merrick McCartha, Noel Douglas Orput, Melissa Diaz and Christin Muuli.

01Plot

Within one hour, a businessman must choose between his finances or murder to keep his family safe.

02Cast

  • Ted Raimi as James
  • Merrick McCartha as Mr. Serge
  • Noel Douglas Orput as Unknown Man
  • Melissa Diaz as Maria
  • Christin Muuli as Jessica
  • Daniel Kuhlman as Alvar
  • LeVar Michael as Robert
  • Spencer Langston as JP. Jr.
  • John Paul Medrano as Michael
  • Ernest Cavazos as Slavko
  • Joe Barra as Nicolas
  • Chris Paul Morales as Juan
  • Alex Sands as Charles
  • Hyeong Choi as Takuma

03Production

The film was shot in a single 87-minute take. Raimi said that principal photography took three days from rehearsal to final take. The film makes Kahuam the first Mexican filmmaker to make a one shot feature film in the US.

04Release

The film was picked up for distribution by Alief at Marché du Film and premiered at FrightFest on August 28, 2023. In May 2024, Red Water Entertainment acquired the North American distribution rights. It was released on video on demand on January 28, 2025.

05Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 67% of 9 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.0/10.

Martin Unsworth at Starburst Magazine scored the film 5 out of 5. Paul Chapinal at Film News gave it 4 out of 5 stars. Film critic Kim Newman said the film is more satisfying than Kahuam's Forgiveness. Anton Bitel at Projected Figures said it is "an understated, if unpredictable chamber drama" that "is concerned with broader themes of American capital and criminality."

Horror icon and frequent Raimi collaborator Bruce Campbell endorsed the film by saying "Ted Raimi is one of the few actors I would, or could, watch for 87 minutes without a break."

Watch videos about Failure!Explainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article Failure!, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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