Derelicts Of Duty
"Three army vets need their jewels back."
Logline
Betrayed by their sergeant and left to rot after a dangerous mission, three broken army veterans pull off a high-stakes heist to reclaim stolen jewels, a journey that transforms them from derelicts into modern-day Robin Hoods fighting corruption and the system that abandoned them.
Synopsis
Derelicts Of Duty opens on the working-class streets of post-9/11 Brooklyn and detonates in the war-torn chaos of Iraq, where three soldiers, sharpshooter Keith Glascoe, locksmith-turned-safecracker Andy Kessler, and martial-artist demolition man Phil Vasyli, discover a treasure chest of jewels buried in Saddam Hussein's bunker. Their corrupt sergeant, Bill Dean, leaves them for dead and vanishes with the fortune. Years later, ground down by trauma, addiction, poverty, and burn-pit disease while the VA looks away, the three veterans reunite for one audacious mission: track Dean to a sun-drenched, deceptive Los Angeles and steal back what's theirs. What follows is a meticulously plotted heist, full of disguises, misdirection, and theatrical flair, that climaxes in a brutal reckoning and a redemptive return home. This is a story about brotherhood forged in the places where honor goes to die, and about what broken men do when the system that broke them refuses to make it right.
The World
A visually rich tapestry that moves from the gritty, unvarnished streets of Brooklyn, through the brutal crucible of war-torn Iraq, into the glamorous peril of Los Angeles, and back home again, spanning veterans' hospitals, shadowy criminal dealings, and a stark industrial cemetery. Cinematic grittiness throughout: visceral war-zone action, sleek heist tension, and poignant character drama.
Concept Stills
Why It Sells
- Punchy, no-nonsense premise: '3 army vets need their jewels back.'
- A brilliant Greyhound bus sequence that turns a mundane journey into a stage for espionage and the slow weaving of the heist plan.
- 'Old Man Red' — Glascoe's charismatic, enigmatic disguise who manipulates and inspires, blurring the line between hero and anti-hero.
- The audacious 'Santa' diversion — robbers in Santa suits orchestrating chaos during the LA bank robbery.
- 'Modern-day Robin Hoods' — ill-gotten gains turned toward helping fellow veterans.
- Grounded in real-world tragedy: burn-pit disease and systemic VA neglect add depth and pathos.
- A visually dramatic sniper-duel climax in a cemetery's incinerator towers.
Characters
Keith Glascoe
The Sharpshooter
A marksman with a troubled past and a broken present. His arc moves through profound loss into righteous fury and a fight for justice, anchored emotionally by his bond with his daughter. Also operates undercover as the enigmatic 'Old Man Red.'
Andy Kessler
The Mastermind
A former locksmith and safe-cracker now battling burn-pit disease. His arc is about reclaiming purpose, using his rare skills for a noble cause despite physical decline and societal neglect.
Phil Vasyli
Demolition / Muscle
A martial artist and demolition expert burdened by guilt over his brother's death. His journey is one of overcoming trauma and finding forgiveness, using his strength to protect others.
Sergeant Bill Dean
The Antagonist
The arrogant, corrupt leader whose betrayal sets everything in motion. A descent into villainy driven by greed and a total disregard for the men he once commanded.
Story Beats
The Discovery
Three soldiers uncover a chest of jewels in Saddam Hussein's bunker — a moment of hope and impending doom.
The Betrayal
Sergeant Dean abandons his men in Iraq and disappears with the fortune, setting the stage for years of suffering.
The Descent
The devastating aftermath of war — alcoholism, poverty, and illness — juxtaposed against the discovery of Dean's whereabouts.
The Heist Blueprint
Meticulous planning of an elaborate Los Angeles bank heist using disguises, surveillance, and misdirection, including the clever Greyhound bus charade.
The Bank Robbery
A thrilling, chaotic heist orchestrated with precision and theatrical flair — anchored by the iconic 'Santa' diversion.
The Reckoning
A brutal, satisfying confrontation with Sergeant Dean in Mount Zion Cemetery — the moment of ultimate justice.
The Philanthropic Return
The recovered wealth is turned toward fellow veterans, completing the transformation into modern-day Robin Hoods.
Producers
Written by Greg Demirjian & Gunnar Sachs