Exit Strategy is a feature, un-romantic comedy directed by Michael Whitton and starring Jameel Saleem, Kimelia Weathers, Quincy "QDeezy" Harris, with cameo appearances by L.A. radio host Big Boy and stand-up comedian Kevin Hart.
The film follows stuff shop co-owner James (Saleem) who gets evicted from his apartment and moves in with his take-charge girlfriend of three months Kim (Weathers) and quickly discovers she is everything he never wanted in a woman. He enlists co-workers Carville (Harris) and Leona (Noelle Balfour), plus high-schooler Scoop (Nick Sinise) and strangers Big Boy and customer Mannequin Head Man (Kevin Hart) to find a relationship exit strategy; but for Kim, breaking up isn’t an option.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
When two people in a relationship are afraid to take responsibility for how they feel—the demons set in. They become unhappy. Pressure builds up; and for some, the only way they know how to release that pressure is to hurt themselves or others; and to tell them to stop is like trying to convince an alcoholic they have a problem—they don’t. The person you thought they were has disappeared. A ghost remains; one they’re not afraid to live with, but one that others certainly can’t be around.
Such is the case in Exit Strategy: James and his girlfriend of three months, Kim, become shadows of themselves, forcing their personal issues onto one another because they don’t know how else to deal with the pain—actually they do, but sometimes it takes time and the right situation to build up to honesty.
Eventually, both James and Kim admit what works for where they sit in life. It doesn’t make them smile, but it settles deeply as something genuine—and that is how you end a relationship... as well as start a new one, which is what inspired me to direct Exit Strategy.
Through what the characters dish out and deny, I hope the viewers can recognize a similar pattern in their own relationships and maybe, just maybe, find the courage to be honest with themselves—first, then to others. It’s the best strategy in my opinion to being happy.
Michael Whitton
Los Angeles
# # #
