Selected as one of the offerings at the 2007 World of Comedy Film Festival, I Will Avenge You, Iago! is a clever and entertaining farce from Zhenya Kiperman, a  first-time writer/director.    

In this amusing showbiz romp, viewers meet Helen Brooks (Michi Barall), a successful actress who has spent the last few months portraying Ophelia in a national touring company’s version of Hamlet.  The director of the show, portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito, has fallen for Brooks and has asked her to leave her husband Jack Bandrowski (Larry Pine) for him. These two are sitting in Espositio’s car when she turns his request down. She exits the vehicle and heads toward her apartment building. The doorman is surprised to see Helen because she was not supposed to return from the tour until the end of the week. We then learn that the Chicago leg of Helen’s tour had been cancelled at the last minute.

Unknown to Helen, the porter is serving as the lookout for Eve Zimmerman (Kate Hodge) who just happens to be upstairs in Helen and Jack’s apartment trying to steal all their jewelry. The man makes a frantic call to warn her about Helen being on her way upstairs. Naturally, Helen is startled when she encounters Eve in her apartment wearing nothing but her underwear and holding a feather duster. Eve tells Helen she was hired by Jack to be their new cleaning lady -- and, that because the heat in the apartment was getting to her, she shed her clothing.

Eve lies to Helen when she claims she’s been Jack’s mistress for the past three years and is now carrying his child. She warns Helen never to confront Jack about finding her in their apartment or about learning Eve is his mistress.

She says Jack has always wanted a child of his own that he could call his “little method actor or actress.” Eve knows the couple does not have children, so she uses this fact to her advantage by insisting Jack would choose her over Helen because she will produce a child.

Meanwhile, Jack has just finished a performance as Iago in Othello. Marvin (Keith Nobbs) was in the audience and is having a hard time understanding that the play and its characters are not real and that he was merely watching actors on stage. Marvin, so upset about Iago leading Othello to kill Desdemona, finds his way to Jack’s dressing room, brandishes a knife, and takes the actor hostage. Jack must use his improvisation skills to make Marvin realize he was not the real villain of the story. He sends Marvin to search for the actor who played the Duke.  

Kiperman’s goal for this film involved presenting quirky characters and consistent humor in a totally unpredictable plot. He also wanted his movie to mirror the style, spirit and texture of a Woody Allen film. Although Kiperman succeeds, I believe he needs to broaden his Allen-esque style by doing something more original. Barall and Hodge, both delightful to watch in the humorous scenes they share, are the standouts here. Pine and Esposito are also strong in their supporting turns.

(Produced by Iago Films. Click here for more information about I Will Avenge You, Iago! )