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We all make sacrifices. Whether it’s for ourselves, for our families and loved ones, or for a job, everyone has sacrificed something at some level. It’s especially common to make sacrifices in order to achieve your dreams, especially in a creative field. But to forgo traditional housing, living in your car and scraping by meal to meal, doing what it takes to survive in Los Angeles, evokes the most literal image of a starving artist. In All I’ve Got and Then Some, Rasheed Stephens brings his own experiences to the big screen to tell a story of passion, dedication, and sacrifice. The good, the bad, and the wild that comes with it.
A Drama About Drive and Determination
Rasheed (as a fictionalized version of himself), an aspiring stand–up from Georgia living in Los Angeles, has his first paid gig tonight. From the moment he’s woken up in his car by his friend Rose (Avise Parsons), his day becomes one of mishaps and side steps as he ventures around Hollywood. Everyone he meets two things: It’s the best day of his life, and he’s got a paid gig. He bounces around, doing rideshares in between as he hits open mics, defends a woman from being accosted, dances in a TikTok video, and meets his agent who does business during his shift at a vintage clothing store. Will he make it to the gig on time? Maybe.
source: Slamdance Film Festival
Will he be paid well? Most definitely not.
In addition to the main story, we intermittently hear audio clips of Rasheed’s comedy as well as anecdotes from Rasheed the filmmaker rather than Rasheed the character, highlighting events from his past and how they helped shape his journey. From this, we see two sides of Rasheed: one filled with intrusive, hand-held closeups that at times feel claustrophobic in the car with him and the other a well-lit closeup of his interview with intermittent cigar smoke maintaining the distance between viewer and creator. We see a man both where he was and where he is, now on the big screen with his Slamdance premiere. Co-written, directed, and produced by Rasheed and Tehben Dean, together the two have created a film that is a multi-layered portrait of doing whatever it takes to keep the dream alive. It takes courage, discipline, and, well, giving it all you’ve got and then some.
Conclusion: All I’ve Got and Then Some
A drama at its core, All I’ve Got and Then Some also shines with gems of humor in the most unexpected situations. It’s got so much heart, and with rarely a moment where you’re not rooting for Rasheed, you find yourself almost jealous that you didn’t have the courage to make the sacrifices he did.
Check out more of Film Inquiry’s Slamdance 2024 coverage here!
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