Beneath the Veneer of a Murder

A brief, tense phone conversation between politically connected powerhouse Tom Buchanan and a desperate lower-class thug named Judd over Buchanan's bisexual wife Daisy, her working-class lover Lolita and Bartlesby, the enigmatic head of Buchanan's personal security force, results in an interlocking series of actions which culminates in a brutal murder. Thereafter the Buchanans, in a subsequent phone, conversation grapple with the fall-out from the crime, its alleged resolution, and the effect the incident has had on their open marriage.

Directed by Angel Connell, Beneath the Veneer of a Murder leans on a strong ensemble — Christy Scott Cashman, Eric Scheiner, Mark Grant — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about crime titles of 2010.