Cinema techniques from the last century have been raised from the dead in writer/director Chris Zuhdi’s excellent neo-noir Neon Cactus. It begins in the classic noir tradition with narration, delivered onscreen by Johnny Rocket (Manny Greenfield), owner of the Neon Cactus bar in Texas. One day Rocket pulls up in his fancy vintage car to a locksmith shop owned by Stanley (Paul T. Taylor). Rocket says he needs the car trunk unlocked fast and is willing to pay many times over the going rate. Stanley does the job, despite the bloodstains on the back of the car, which Rocket blames on hitting a coyote back yonder.
Rocket gives Stanley $500 for a $25 job and his business card, asking him to stop by the bar. Instead, Stanley goes home to his fed-up wife, Maureen (Adah Hagen), who sits smoking and glaring at him when he comes through the door. She calls him spineless and says that he can’t fill the shoes of her former husband, JR, who died while working at a copper mine. Stanley tells her he isn’t trying to fill anyone’s shoes. Maureen tells Stanley the only shoes he could fill are Dorothy’s red slippers, and even those may be too big. Burn!
“She calls him spineless and that he can’t fill the shoes of her former husband…”
The next morning while Stanley is pouring his coffee, he finds the gas on the stove was left on. While at work, Maureen smokes and cuts hair at home, complaining about Stanley to her client Wilma (Justina England). When Stanley warns Maureen about leaving the gas on as she may have blown up, she replies at least she wouldn’t have had to put up with him anymore.
Meanwhile, Rocket has a cigar box delivered to Stanley’s shop with instructions not to open it. When Rocket shows up for the box, Stanley gives it to him and claims not to have looked in it. When Stanley refuses payment, Rocket says he owes him one and informs him something is dripping under his car. Stanley finds his brake line has been cut in half. Stanley goes to the Neon Cactus to see Rocket and asks him to arrange to have Maureen killed. Later, Stanley and Maureen have a heart-to-heart, and Stanley changes his mind. However, when Stanley tries to tell Rocket the plan is off, it doesn’t look like it can be stopped.
