Rowdy Herrington (“Jack’s Back”/”Striking Distance”) directs and writes this clever little crime drama that has film noir pretensions it never fully realizes, but manages to affect a comic air around a very serious crime and introduce lead characters that have some depth. Herrington draws out the characters so we understand their desperation and motivations, and the filmmaker follows through with dialogue that is both pointed and intelligent. It’s one of those small films that slipped under the radar, and can be seen only on cable or by renting in a video store.

It’s set in this fictional mountainous pristine town of Vedalia, California, where someone dressed in a clown face and jump-suit robs the bank that holds the take of a half a million dollars from an Indian casino. The bandit used a sawed-off shotgun after cutting the power. Burned-out LA detective John Parker (James Spader), on leave from the force due to stress over his recent marriage separation and losing a partner in a drug bust, is resting up from his recent ordeal in his Vedalia vacation log cabin. Parker gets identified as the stickup man by the two local police officers Ray DeCarlo (David Keith) and Tommy Meeker (Alex Zahara), who spot him switching cars in the woods. The night before Parker was in a bar and attractive nurse Natalie Wright (Leslie Stefanson) picks him up and brings him home to sleep with her. Her jealous ex-hubby Ray happens to be the cop involved in the heist investigation, and knows she was with Parker that night. The FBI is called in to be in charge of the investigation, and rookie agent Rick Kendall (John Livingston) is more than thrilled to get his first case and a chance to earn a reputation.