CATCH THE FAIR ONE -- A Servicable Action Thriller With a Breakout Performance From Kali Reis

Review by Dan Skip Allen

Kali ‘K.O.’ Reis as “Kaylee” in Josef Kubota Wladyka’s CATCH THE FAIR ONE. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films release.

Every once in a while, you watch a movie that surprises you in ways you didn't think any film could. So many films are cookie-cutter versions of other films, whether it be the script or genre or something else entirely. You rarely find a film that is different from anything you've seen before. Catch the Fair One is one of those films. And it's a pleasant surprise!

Kaylee (Kali Reis) is a Native American boxer. She works for a living at a diner. When her sister goes missing, she embarks on a mission to find out what happened to her and to bring her back home. She infiltrates a corrupt organization of prostitution and puts her own life on the line to rescue her younger sister. The deeper she goes, the harder answers are to come by, but she's a tough woman and knows how to take care of herself. Her boxing skills come in handy.

The film has a very good cast of relative unknowns led by Reis and Kevin Dunn, a very prolific character actor, known for Transformers, Gridiron Gang, and Dave. He plays a man who is in charge of an illegal smuggling operation. Reis infiltrates his organization, but she's over her head. This film is not a typical thriller. It has some interesting story beats that will keep anyone guessing until the end.

Kali ‘K.O.’ Reis as “Kaylee” in Josef Kubota Wladyka’s CATCH THE FAIR ONE. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films release.

Reis isn't known as an actor. Her real-life career as a boxing champion comes in handy as the character she plays in the film. Her fighting skills are first-rate and that allows her to do her own stunt scenes and fighting. That's a very good skill set as far as an actress goes. Not very many have a set of skills like Reis. Her acting skills could use a little work, though.

The director Josef Kubota Wladyka is primarily experienced as a television and streaming director. This is his second feature after Dirty Hands in 2014. He knows his way around a story and the beats he has to hit as a director and storyteller. This film has those beats that need to be met and when they are, the film succeeds very much. The story goes in unfamiliar directions and that's a good thing.

Catch the Fair One originally premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival back in 2021. IFC bought it and it's getting a wide release next week. As a little indie film, it succeeds on many levels. The breakout performance by Reis anchors a stellar cast including Kevin Dunn as a nogoodnik up to his neck in illegal activity. Josef Kubota Wladyka does a stellar job in his sophomore outing. The atmosphere and setting of the film make for an intriguing story.

Catch the Fair One hits theaters and VOD on February 10.

Rating: 3.5/5