Michael Fredianelli is lawman Wesley Hart, a man haunted by his most recent investigation, which began with a tip that someone was murdering Native Americans and hiding their bodies in a barn.
Indeed, Hart and his deputy discover a barn full of bodies. Before they leave the farm, the deputy is dead. So is the killer, as well as a son who rushes to the killer’s defense.
No longer confident he’s equipped to deal with all the evil around him, Hart decides he needs to leave behind his home and wife for a “cleansing.”
He winds up in a poker match with part-time magician, part-time preacher and full-time con artist Jedidiah Wilkins (Bryan Hurd).
Hart accuses Wilkins of cheating. Wilkins responds by siccing his henchmen on Hart. They hold him down while Wilkins stomps on Hart’s right hand until it’s broken and useless.
Well, Hart learns to use his left hand. And once recovered, he dedicates himself to a new passion: Making sure the individuals responsible for crippling his hand pay a high price for doing so.
During his quest for vengeance, he happens across Milt Barley (Danny Miller) and his pretty daughter Mabeline (Sydney Van Delft).
Turns out they have a treasure map. A treasure map Jedidiah Wilkins is desperate to get his hands on.
So the lawman joins forces with the father and daughter. But he soon wonders if he can trust them, because they clearly don’t trust one another.
Michael Fredianelli as Wesley Hart, passing a six-gun to his deputy as they head out to investigate a reported murder in The Perfect Hand (2023)
Bryan Hurd as Jedidiah Wilkins, part-time magician, part-time preacher, full-time con artist in The Perfect Hand (2023)
Review:
If you start watching this film with the knowledge that it’s a very low budget affair — one of those Westerns were horses are scarce, for instance — you’re less likely to be disappointed.
Fortunately, director, writer and star Michael Fredianelli serves up a script quirky enough to grab your attention and keep it, then delivers an ironic twist for an ending.
This marked Fredianelli’s third Western as director, following “The Scarlet Worm” (2011) and “The Rogues of Flat Oak” (2018), but the first in which he also assumes the starring role.
He turns in a decent performance as the lawman who finds evil and deceit everywhere he turns. Bryan Hurd is less convincing as the villain of the piece. And when the film seems slow, it’s usually because he’s pontificating on one topic or another.
A free-to-watch version of the film has found its way to YouTube. Just be aware the audio drops out several times in that version, including at a couple of key moments.
Sydney Van Delft as Mabeline Barley, showing off the treasure map she’s managed to steal from her father in The Perfect Hand (2023)
Danny Miller as Milt Barley, trying to explain his daughter to Wesley Hart in The Perfect Hand (2023)
Directed by:
Michael Fredianelli
Cast:
Michael Fredianelli … Wesley Hart
Bryan Hurd … Jedidiah Wilkins
Danny Miller … Milt Barley
Sydney Van Delft … Mabeline Barley
Jeff Foster … Dwight Mitchell
Dominic Olivo … Carson Yoakum
Gideon Klapow … Mikey
Shauna Richardson … Anna
Jaime Gray … Nancy
Alan Zeichner … Dewey Little
Joe Walters … Doc Belville
David Cordoni … Deputy Rogers
Dick Raley … Deputy Kimson
Frank Gallo … Harlan
Steve Tanabe … Clem
Shane Johnson … Gerry
Bryan Wilks … William
Trent Avvenire … Sharps
Ehtna Coulter … Henry
Abrielle Chapin … Emma
Runtime: 114 min.
Jeff Foster as Dwight Mitchell, one of Jedediah Wilkins’ henchmen in The Perfect Hand (2023)
Dominic Olivo as Carson Yoakum, one of the young enforcers working for Jedidiah Wilkins in The Perfect Hand (2023)
Memorable lines:
Wesley Hart, to his wife Anna: “I used to think this gun hand was good for nothing except quick draws and killing, but the good kind of killing, the kind of killing that makes the world a safer place. Now, I’m not so sure anymore. It’s only got five fingers. That’s not enough to fight all the evil God put on this earth.”
Anna: “It’s a good hand.”
Hart: “Yeah, maybe when it’s writing poetry.”
Wesley Hart, explaining why he needs to leave for a while: “I just cannot live with someone so pure, knowing the things I’ve done. Maybe one day, after a good cleansing, we’ll meet again.”
Milt Barley, being harassed by Jedidiah Wilkins and his goons for a treasure map: “Why don’t you just go fuck your horse, mister?”
Jedidiah Wilkins: “Now that is an alternative I hadn’t considered.”
Michael Fredianelli as Wesley Hart, nursing his fractured and now useless right hand in The Perfect Hand (2023)
Jaime Gray as Nancy, the whore who mends Hart’s hands and suggests his new passion become revenge in The Perfect Hand (2023)
Jedidiah, walking into a saloon and seeing a bully named Clem sprawled out on the floor: “My, my. That is either a sign of excellent brand or ominous danger.”
Wesley Hart, as a whore named Nancy wraps his shattered right hand: “It’s my gun hand. Can’t write no more poetry. Can’t uphold the law. Man that can’t execute his passions or work at life ain’t a man at all any more.”
Nancy: “Well, you’ve got a new passion now.”
Hart: “How’s that?”
Nancy: “You wanna kill those rat bastards, don’t ya?”
Madeline to Wesley Hart: “Look, we both got sad songs to sing, but now is really not the time.”
Shauna Richardson as Anna Hart, listening to her husband explains his need to leave home for a while in The Perfect Hand (2023)
Gideon Klapow as Mikey, the dim-witted son of Mabeline Barley in The Perfect Hand (2023)
Alan Zeichner (left) as Dewey Little, helping Jedidiah Wilkins track down a treasure map in The Perfect Hand (2023)
Sydney Van Delft as Mabeline Barley, helping Wesley Hart (Michael Fredianelli) take aim at enemies in The Perfect Hand (2023)
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