Director: Berner, Alex Ferrufino
Writers: Berner, David Mansanalez
Stars: Reed Shannon, Quincy Brooks, Zakee Brooks
Synopsis: Two brothers on diverging paths struggle to survive amidst the pressures of their community.
I think everyone should have a shot at showing how talented they are, no matter what field they’re pursuing. This especially goes for anyone who isn’t a cis white male. Rapper and entrepreneur Berner has taken the next step in his career by entering the film industry. He’s directed his own music videos in the past, but this time he’s decided to step out on faith. He and co‑director Alex Ferrufino bring the audience into their own backyard of Northern California — the Bay Area, to be exact. Together, they take viewers on a thrilling ride with a cast of characters searching for a way out of poverty and willing to do whatever it takes to escape it.
Splash City doesn’t feature any big-name actors who might draw an audience looking for a standout performance from a familiar face. Instead, we get a cast of up‑and‑coming actors and first‑time performers who bring hunger and compassion to the screenplay written by Berner and David Mansanalez. The story follows two brothers, Juju (Reed Shannon) and Elijah (Zach Sowers). Elijah is a high school basketball phenom on his way to becoming an even bigger star in college. Juju isn’t the perfect son their mother wants him to be; he’s a young man trying to break out of his big brother’s shadow. He seeks approval from his friends in the streets by “bipping,” a term for smash‑and‑grab jobs targeting people’s cars. The money is quick and easy, and Juju sees himself rising through the ranks of the crew led by the unpredictable and relentless Dolo (Quincy “Galaxy” Brooks). Elijah does what he can to help Juju get on the right path, but Juju refuses to let go of the life he’s chasing. As the film progresses, we see just how far the brothers are willing to go for each other as crime in their city escalates.
I enjoyed what the actors brought to their roles in this debut film from Berner and Ferrufino. You can tell it’s the first time many of the supporting cast have acted on screen, but that actually adds authenticity to an independent film. Indie films aren’t supposed to be perfect — they’re meant to be a little rough around the edges. Shannon and Sowers deliver incisive performances, and their chemistry as brothers who want to protect each other makes them the emotional core of the movie. Still, the standout performance comes from newcomer Brooks as Dolo. He’s the film’s main antagonist, and his abhorrent, arrogant behavior makes him easy to hate. He believes he’s the biggest player in the smash‑and‑grab game, but he has no idea that people in the shadows see him as a liability as he goes on a rampage throughout the Bay.
Ferrufino and Berner clearly drew inspiration from crime films like Deep Cover, Paid in Full, and Four Brothers in both dialogue and plot. There aren’t many crime films set in San Francisco, let alone ones featuring predominantly Black and brown cast members. They wrote about a world they know, and they succeeded in telling a solid story. The movie doesn’t glorify bipping — it does the opposite, offering a cautionary tale about getting caught up in a criminal lifestyle and doing everything you can to turn things around. The music, provided by Traxx FDR, features some of the best Bay Area rap, amplifying the dramatic and action‑packed scenes. The one‑two punch of Alejandro Lalinde’s cinematography and Josai‑Rodriguez Villegas’s editing is reminiscent of Berner’s recent music videos: clean, sleek, and moody.
While I enjoyed the performances, editing, cinematography, and directing, I was disappointed by the lack of roles and dialogue for women in the film. Elijah and Juju’s mother (Hazel Green) and Elijah’s longtime girlfriend Destiny (Destiny Hernandez) deserved more development and screen time. There was plenty of room for their perspectives, but the story’s focus on the brothers and the world of bipping ultimately overshadowed them. Splash City is currently being screened across the U.S., with more showtimes being added in the first week of August. It’s great to see first‑time filmmakers of color pooling their resources to showcase their work in multiple states. With support from distributor Lionsgate, the film has earned a well‑deserved push.
