Kidnapping Inc.

Tasked with what appears to be a simple abduction for hire, two hapless kidnappers find out that it’s anything but and end up in the middle of a political conspiracy. Director and co-writer Bruno Mourral’s explosive debut feature is a darkly funny but deadly serious political thriller set in one of the kidnapping capitals of the world. Kidnapping Inc. follows desperate criminals Doc (Jasmuel Andri) and Zoe (Rolaphton Mercure) on an irreverent, high-speed misadventure through the mean streets of Port-au-Prince, finding danger and intrigue at every hairpin turn. The film’s outrageous slapstick violence and furious pace are fueled by a deeper outrage at the widespread corruption, class inequality, and insecurity in Haitian society. Unlike his bumbling protagonists, Mourral takes no prisoners, populating this vivid, vulgar landscape with a motley assortment of crooked cops, scheming politicians, and freelance assassins. Anchored by Andri and Mercure, who bring warmth and charisma to their roles as would-be mercenaries, Kidnapping Inc. is also an affectionate buddy comedy that finds moments of grace and humanity amid the flying bullets. (Sundance Film Festival)