Lowkey but engaging. Like The Hills Have Eyes for the modern age set to the lowest setting on a burner. I think it nails its atmosphere; it just doesn’t have a big enough punch at the end. I can see the complaints about the final third; if the first two-thirds weren’t as engaging I’d probably be more peeved too. I’d also criticize its underexplored thematics. They’re basically isolated to a single car ride between our photographer, Alex, and his new creepy friend. There’s something to be said about this movie’s restraint though. It’s like a vicious muzzled dog held by a leash that feels on the brink of snapping at any time. Quiet anxiety, until it bursts.
Chemistry and contra-chemistry play well between all the actors. Performances don’t necessarily stand out, but I like the web connecting them all. I didn’t explicitly clock the moment things go wrong, but it felt like enough breathing room was given for us to relax before we’re proverbially attacked. Many movies lack the patience to let things build accordingly. Where it falters is its withholding of Alex’s photographic mission. It’s not that it doesn’t expose us to his personal lens, but rather I would have liked to see more, an even intimate relationship between him and his work.
The main crazy, Renny, does a good job infusing that kind of perverse lighthearted intimidation into every scene. Every joke he tells carries a pointed knife behind his words. His gifts are threats and his offers are ultimatums. Director Erkman infuses some ambiguity and abstraction. These add nice substantive flares to the movie, especially the shot of Renny smoking in the abandoned theatre. I suppose these are reminders that these are his worlds and not someone like Alex.
It’s interesting to note David Yow, Palladino, is first billed. Now, reading this as a neo-noir, it makes sense. Once he becomes involved the movie starts writing a check it’s not quite prepared to cash. His backstory gets sparse attention, despite being implied as more meaningful. His involvement doesn’t get the patience Alex’s did. That lack of build-up is probably what makes the story’s culmination feel convenient. It’s not without its own stylism though, somewhat offsetting its underwhelming resolution.
Overall, this was a nice treat. To sum up my biggest complaint: this could have gone further; it could have done more. It sorta can't figure out how to end its own mystery. Although there is a quiet nihilism to the way it does end. This falls somewhere in the range of good to pretty good. Its initial patience and reservedness felt refreshing in the landscape of modern films. I’m not one to drill down ratings to the hundredths but just know this is on the lighter side of a 3.5.
A funny aside was that I mistakenly kept thinking this was called A Dessert while I was watching it and had a lightbulb moment when the title shows up at the end. "Oh, that makes more sense" I thought.
Lowkey but engaging. Like The Hills Have Eyes for the modern age set to the lowest setting on a burner. I think it nails its atmosphere; it just doesn’t have a big enough punch at the end. I can see the complaints about the final third; if the first two-thirds weren’t as engaging I’d probably be more peeved too. I’d also criticize its underexplored thematics. They’re basically isolated to a single car ride between our photographer, Alex, and his new creepy friend. There’s something to be said about this movie’s restraint though. It’s like a vicious muzzled dog held by a leash that feels on the brink of snapping at any time. Quiet anxiety, until it bursts.
Chemistry and contra-chemistry play well between all the actors. Performances don’t necessarily stand out, but I like the web connecting them all. I didn’t explicitly clock the moment things go wrong, but it felt like enough breathing room was given for us to relax before we’re proverbially attacked. Many movies lack the patience to let things build accordingly. Where it falters is its withholding of Alex’s photographic mission. It’s not that it doesn’t expose us to his personal lens, but rather I would have liked to see more, an even intimate relationship between him and his work.
The main crazy, Renny, does a good job infusing that kind of perverse lighthearted intimidation into every scene. Every joke he tells carries a pointed knife behind his words. His gifts are threats and his offers are ultimatums. Director Erkman infuses some ambiguity and abstraction. These add nice substantive flares to the movie, especially the shot of Renny smoking in the abandoned theatre. I suppose these are reminders that these are his worlds and not someone like Alex.
It’s interesting to note David Yow, Palladino, is first billed. Now, reading this as a neo-noir, it makes sense. Once he becomes involved the movie starts writing a check it’s not quite prepared to cash. His backstory gets sparse attention, despite being implied as more meaningful. His involvement doesn’t get the patience Alex’s did. That lack of build-up is probably what makes the story’s culmination feel convenient. It’s not without its own stylism though, somewhat offsetting its underwhelming resolution.
Overall, this was a nice treat. To sum up my biggest complaint: this could have gone further; it could have done more. It sorta can't figure out how to end its own mystery. Although there is a quiet nihilism to the way it does end. This falls somewhere in the range of good to pretty good. Its initial patience and reservedness felt refreshing in the landscape of modern films. I’m not one to drill down ratings to the hundredths but just know this is on the lighter side of a 3.5.
A funny aside was that I mistakenly kept thinking this was called A Dessert while I was watching it and had a lightbulb moment when the title shows up at the end. "Oh, that makes more sense" I thought.
