While it might look like a standard witness protection thriller on paper, Lady Cocoa is a masterclass in 70s aesthetic. It trades the typical urban grime of the genre for the icy, high-altitude isolation of Nevada, making for a sleek, atmospheric watch that feels like a chilly companion piece to a Bond film.

The film belongs entirely to Lola Falana. Known primarily as a singing sensation and a protégé of Sammy Davis Jr., Falana brings a magnetic, world-weary energy to Coco. Fresh out of the Nevada prison system after flipping on her boyfriend Eddie (James A. Watson Jr.), she isn’t just a damsel in distress; she’s a woman navigating a get out of jail free card that feels more like a death sentence.

Watching her bounce between the protection of Ramsey (Alex Drier) and that of the local law officer, Doug (Gene Washington), you get a real sense of her internal conflict. Is she actually falling for the badge, or is she just playing the hand she was dealt?

She’s being hunted by Arthur (director Matt Cimber, who made The Witch Who Came from the Sea after this) and Big Joe (“Mean” Joe Greene). There are also some newlyweds, Arthur (Gary Harper) and Marie (Millie Perkins), who aren’t who they seem.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a true cult classic without the ubiquitous George “Buck” Flower. His turn as a drunken gambler isn’t just a cameo; it’s the soul of the film’s grimy casino backdrop. Nobody played disheveled and desperate with quite the same charm.

Cimber handles the tension well. He uses the Lake Tahoe locations to great effect, contrasting the neon warmth of the casinos with the bleak, dangerous mountains surrounding them. It’s a slow-burn thriller that pays off with a climax that reminds you exactly why Eddie was a man worth snitching on.

You can watch this on Tubi.