Set in a dirt-poor neighborhood in the fictional city of San Lovisa, Texas, EvenHand tells the story of two very different cops, working together for the first time. Rob Francis, recently divorced, finds the adjustment from his previous assignment in “Sleepytown” difficult. With his new partner, the volatile Ted Morning, he spends his days breaking up domestic disputes, responding to noise complaints and chasing delinquent kids. Morning, who has been on the streets long enough to develop a cynical shell, seeks out anything to break up the monotony of their daily grind, and that’s where the trouble starts.
The characters and events in EvenHand subtly intertwine until Francis and Morning must both face the consequences of their very different approaches to the job. Filmed on location in San Antonio, Texas, EvenHand is a police story, but it’s not about car chases or shoot-outs. It’s about two cops struggling to survive in a world where, without warning, numbing routine can give way to primal fear.
Filming was completed on April 6, 2001 on location in San Antonio, Texas. EvenHand screened at more than 24 festivals worldwide, including Tribeca, SXSW, the AFI Fest, Edinburgh, and Deauville. The film premiered on the Sundance Channel in December 2003 and was released on DVD by Arts Alliance. For more information about the film and to read the director’s journal, please visit the EvenHand website by clicking on the patch.
