The Madness Within is a 2019 drama about a successful businessman on top of the world whose addiction, secrets, and faulty relationships nearly ruin him.
Russ Washington (Hunter G. Williams) is doing pretty well, just signing a deal to produce a multi-million dollar film with his business partner Marcus (Edin Gali). He’s just met a beautiful woman as well, a pretty blonde named April (Tessa Farrell) he finds himself greatly attracted too, sleeping with her on their first date before realizing she a prostitute trying to make ends meet. However, they really like each other, and the two try to make it work, even though he’s a jealous man with being a bastard a fallback position. Meanwhile, drugs and a heavy party life keep him spiraling into the abyss.
It’s an old story of course, writer, director, and star Williams’ independent release The Madness Within probably immediately familiar to anyone who has seen a movie made in the last thirty years or so. There’s no shortage of heroes tumbling from the top at the box office. Either way, Williams knows the genre and every expectation that comes with it well, packing his film with every transparent marker in book, running down the list with an obvious, genuine devotion.
That doesn’t strip his film of any impact though, a fall from grace a popular go-to for fans of such, and certainly, The Madness Within, especially for those drawn to indie movies, won’t let you down. It’s a small production, naturally, but host to big archetypes on all ends of the spectrum, with the floor falling out from underfoot for Russ and Marcus as the plot steers them into the dark corners we’ve been to before, conflicts steadily separating them. Drugs, girls, gambling, mobsters, and everything sour about each make plenty of appearances (and even Lily Tomlin shows up).
While Williams is limited by his funding and perhaps reaches for more than the film can contain, though of the many hats he wears, it’s his work behind the camera that comes off best, with solid production value and a few impressive shots that carry some style, despite some editing that could have made things just a little smoother. The story as well, while broad stroked, is compelling and on target, however maybe not all the performances find the authenticity they’re aiming for. Williams does most of the heavy lifting and feels comfortable while Farrell does very well as an attractive woman caught in the cogs of a Hollywood machine.
Still, The Madness Within clearly feels like a passion project for Williams, who underwent plenty himself in getting the movie made, and is no stranger to the business he is taking digs at, having been at it for more than a decade. Worth a look.