Return to Fantastic Fest: Revisiting Ryan Prows’ Lowlife (2017)
- Travis Brown
- 20 hours ago
- 2 min read
As we count down to Fantastic Fest 2025, we’re taking time to revisit films from directors returning to Austin this year. Today’s stop is Lowlife from Ryan Prows — a film that, almost a decade later, still hits harder than most.
Prows is back this year with his new feature Night Patrol, one of the titles I’m most excited to see at the festival. But to understand why, it’s worth looking back at Lowlife, the film that first put his chaotic, darkly comic voice on the map.
A Tarantino-Esque Borderland Fever Dream
Lowlife isn’t easy to pin down. It’s a film that feels like five or six movies colliding at once, stitched together in a chapter-driven style that recalls Pulp Fiction and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
The story pivots around El Monstruo (Ricardo Adam Zarate), a Luchador wrestler with rage issues, who finds himself caught in the orbit of his pregnant lady (Santana Dempsey), her gangster stepfather (Mark Burnham), and a sleazy network of crime bosses, immigrant exploitation, and drug-fueled violence. From there, the narrative expands into the lives of two best friends — one recently released from prison (Jon Oswald), the other an accountant (Shaye Ogbonna) for the same crime boss.
What could feel scattered instead becomes a brutal, often hilarious, tapestry of desperation, loyalty, and survival.
The World and Its Characters
Prows pulls no punches. Lowlife mixes elements of lucha libre mythology with human trafficking, ICE raids, and the kind of exploitation that feels ripped straight from the headlines. Watching it in 2025, the film resonates even more — its commentary on immigration and systemic violence still feels alarmingly current.
John Oswald, who I had the chance to speak with after his turn in Off Ramp, is a standout. And Keith, the accountant character — co-written and played by Shaye Ogbonna — adds depth that’s crucial to Prows’ interconnected storytelling. Both Oswald and Ogbanna are back for Night Patrol, which makes me even more eager to see how Prows continues his narrative world-building.
Why It Still Matters
Lowlife isn’t flawless. For lucha fans, some of the character beats may feel off, while crime-thriller junkies might find the wrestling and absurdist detours distracting. But the mash-up is the point — a ragtag, hell-of-a-night story that refuses to fit neatly into one box.
The film stands as both a love letter to grindhouse chaos and a sharp critique of a country divided by status, papers, and borders. At its core, it reminds us that behind the labels — “illegal,” “criminal,” “monster” — are human beings.
Final Thoughts
Almost ten years on, Lowlife still feels like a gut punch. It’s messy, it’s wild, and it’s unforgettable.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
As Ryan Prows returns with Night Patrol at this year’s Fantastic Fest, revisiting Lowlife feels like the perfect reminder of his fearless, unpredictable storytelling.