The Temporary Radicalization of Jeff Boyd

In The Radicalization of Jeff Boyd, we find an interesting twist on the usual radicalization narrative. In the usual story, someone who’s been the victim of injustice or terrible circumstances is approached by an individual or group member who opens their eyes to the truth about their oppressor. Then they join together and try to bring down the system or battle the government or whoever they think is responsible for their plight. Here, we find Jeff, a businessman of some sort who doesn’t seem to be very good at his job, getting fired. Part of the reason he’s fired is that he’s distracted by his financial situation. He’s just gotten involved in an investment scheme with a sketchy firm recommended by a friend, and things don’t go as well as planned. His boss is annoyed because Jeff can’t seem to focus and has had enough. Jeff’s ultimate goal, as we learn from one of the first scenes, is to join a buddy in Australia and open a coffee shop. With that plan on the rocks, Jeff is at loose ends and wanders the streets of Zurich in search of direction. When he meets the charming Wendy, played by Yessica Sanchez, who he’s seen before at an anti-capitalist march. She also turns out to be down on her luck. The two strike up a bond and decide to do something about the fat cats ruining their lives.

Over the course of the film, Jeff and Wendy try to figure out the best way of achieving their goals, but end up biting off much more than they can chew. It’s almost as if two total amateurs found their way into a Jason Bourne movie and can’t find their way back out. The film twists and turns with unexpected intrigue, nosy neighbours and moral dilemmas. It builds slowly to an unexpected and thrilling climax.

Despite the thrills, it is the relationship between Jeff and Wendy that is the real heart of the film. Wendy’s an ideological purist who wants to help the people, but not hurt anyone. Jeff, by contrast, seems motivated by personal anger and perhaps even greed. He wavers between wanting to bring down the ‘system’ and wanting to get rich, or at least get enough money to fulfil his dream of going to Australia and opening a coffee shop. And he’s open to more radical solutions than Wendy. The tension between these two is what drives the film forward and keeps the audience engaged. Meanwhile, we’re also treated to great performances by several secondary. Brian Pinkus stands out as the head of an investment firm, and might be more of an adversary than Jeff bargained for. His mother, played by Zarina Tadjibaeva, is also a joy to watch; we never quite know if we can trust her.

The production values of the film are good, but not spectacular. Until, that is, we realize that the film was made on an estimated budget of $25,000 (according to IMDB). One of the usual ways to keep a budget low is to limit the number of locations (think Reservoir Dogs). A lot of this film was shot in one indoor location, but there are numerous locations and as an audience, we never feel boxed in, or like we’re being artificially constrained to one place for budget reasons. There are wonderful shots of Zurich. And there is wonderful acting.

One of the ways filmmaker Uwe Schwarzwalder kept expenses down was by writing, directing and starring in the film. He also edited it. Primarily an actor, this was Schwarzalder’s first attempt at directing and he does an admirable job. On the editing front, the film could probably have been somewhat shorter. There is, for example, a lot of film left after the climax that I wasn’t sure added enough to warrant so much time. The film has, however won numerous awards at film festivals all around the world for best feature, best acting and best cinematography, among others.

On the whole, The Radicalization of Jeff Boyd is an entertaining thriller. But it also raises questions about the motives of so-called radicals. We get the sense by the end of the film that Jeff is just the kind of guy who’s prone to being swept up by too-good-to-be-true schemes and get rich quick plans. So, despite the film’s title, we’re left wondering how much of a radical Jess is, or perhaps what is meant here by the term, radical.