Dark (I) (2015) User Reviews

Could have been a winner...

[songod-95003 · 3/10 · 17 February 2016]

I give this film a 3 only because of Whitney Able's performance. Had this been a better written better executed film she may have won a Golden Globe or perhaps even gotten an Academy nod. Instead because of poor marketing coupled with boring as heck story telling this goes ignored; except by people like me who get taken in by the poster that makes it seem like a horror movie set during the 2003 NYC blackout.

Do not be fooled by the IMDb categorization of this as a horror movie nor as a thriller. It is neither. It is a tale of a woman with some undisclosed and never talked about mental condition who, blackout or not, losing her grip on sanity as a single night passes.

That is right. The blackout has nada to do with her fall from sanity. She is not afraid of the dark (she actually goes out to a bar during the event). She is not seeing dead people in the dark. The blackout featured in the packaging and promo has nothing to do with her state of mind.

The film starts and stops. It seems to be going somewhere and then, no, we're back hanging out in the candle lit apartment. We're taken on a trip out a window and part way down a fire escape only to be, yes you guessed it, right back in the apartment again.

The cherry on top is yet another NON ENDING. We are not quite exactly certain what happened as it is undefined. We are left to ASSUME Kate took a hammer and boom boxed (she smashes a boom box with the hammer) another character but... did she? Is she imagining it? Are we seeing what she is seeing or what she is imagining?? Before the camera can reveal the truth... the credits roll.

Whatever happened to writers actually coming up with clever or decisive endings?? If you're looking for a psych tale of a young woman losing her mind over the course of an evening then this film is for you! If you want a thriller or horror film... stay away!

Drama- not a thriller

[sgcim · 4/10 · 25 October 2016]

I saw this on NF, and it was labeled as a thriller, but if you expect a thriller, you're going to be very disappointed. It turned out to be a very low-budget drama about a washed up 33 year-old model with some serious mental problems being left alone during the 2003 blackout in NYC. The building and the neighborhood are made to look very sleazy, so even though it was shot in Manhattan, it's probably supposed to be Bushwick, Brooklyn, like it said on her driver's license. It has a very uh, interesting first scene, but after that, it settles into a character study of the lead character. The only good scene after that is the scene where the lead walks home drunk from a bar, and is made fun of by some kids in the neighborhood. She starts yelling curses at them, and they start cracking up in laughter at her. Other than that, it's basically a one woman show till the seemingly tacked on ending. As usual with low budget films, there are the typical phony, ten star reviews by people involved with the film, so that sunk it down another star for my rating.

A 93min trip inside a disturbed brain

[HeatherOHara · 3/10 · 30 January 2016]

Salutations. This title is marketed as Drama,Horror,Thriller. It's not horrific, or thrilling, so I suppose that leaves drama. It's a strange, cut and shopped together piece that takes the viewer through one night inside the head of a very disturbed young woman. She has no idea what's going on, and confesses the same; unfortunately, neither does the viewer.

The film gets stranger and more deliberately confusing as it goes on. I suspect this is in the name of art, but some shots are painfully long and uncomfortably self-indulgent.

I forced myself to watch it all, but frankly, I wouldn't recommend it. From the teaser 'lesbian sex scene' at the film's opening, through the distasteful running undercurrent of 'rape', to the final slide show of tenuously connected frames, it's not good cinema.

*** for actually getting me to watch it through.

Shades of "Repulsion" set in a NYC blackout

[lazarillo · 1 February 2016]

A young bisexual former-model-turned-yoga-instructor (Whitney Able) is in a deteriorating relationship with her girlfriend (Alexandra Breckenridge). When her girlfriend leaves town in the midst of an unresolved argument, she is left alone in their run-down NYC loft just as the famous blackout of 2003 occurs. She has encounters with a couple of potentially sinister men--a weird, overly friendly neighbor (Brendan Sexton III) and a guy she unsuccessfully tries to pick up at the bar. She may be being stalked and externally threatened in real-life, but judging from some quick-cut flashbacks and scars on her wrists, the worst danger may really be in her own mind. . .

I suspect when this movie is more widely released, it may have some trouble finding an audience because it looks enough like a horror movie to chase away a lot of the art crowd, but a lot of horror fans may not appreciate its artier trappings and its slow, subtle and largely psychological approach to horror. This movie falls in the school of horror typified by films like "Repulsion", "The Tenant", "Let's Scare Jessica to Death", and "Session 9". These kind of films are rarely made, especially these days. The last two I remember both came from south of the US border--"Magic, Magic", which I thought was unfairly panned, and "La Casa Muda", which was successful enough to inspire an American remake, but was then overshadowed by the failure of said remake. Personally though, I LOVE this brand of arty, slow-simmering horror. I wish they made more of them, but they are both hard to pull off and a hard-sell once produced.

The two actresses here are real revelations, especially Whitney Able. They are both known as typical "hot" actresses who take their clothes off a lot (actually they do that here too in an opening sex scene), but they have both gone through some physical changes for this movie and look quite convincing as a NY lesbian couple. Breckenridge's acting is spot-on in her few early scenes, and after she goes, Able has to really carry this movie herself, perhaps even more than Catherine Deneuve does in "Repulsion", where SHE could fall back on the talents of great director Roman Polanski. I don't mean to oversell either the movie or the performance, but it really works, and it really works because of her. It's also good to see the once-busy East Coast indie actor Brendan Sexton III, who was in "Welcome to the Dollhouse", "Boys Don't Cry", and "Session 9", but largely disappeared after that. This movie was also actually filmed in New York City, and like a lot of genuine NYC-filmed movies, the city itself is an important character.

This movie is not an easy sell to anybody, but people that really like "Repulsion"-type movies will definitely appreciate this.

Waste of an hour and a half...

[beachin77-1 · 1/10 · 31 January 2016]

I never write reviews for movies, but this was just a waste of my time and all involved in the movie. While I wasn't expecting much with the score it has on IMDb, I usually don't let that stop me from watching a film that intrigues me. Well, in this case I should have.

The lead role is so uninteresting. She's a yoga instructor, but she sure doesn't look like one (not slim and slender plus she smokes - things you don't usually see in a yoga teacher), she acts like she's the prettiest thing in town (don't get me wrong, she is pretty, but her ego is waaay too big and her attitude towards men is as if her poo don't stink), she acts weird in the beginning when she's having sex with her girlfriend (which i might have missed the explanation, but don't understand why), and the last part of the movie was pure torture (watching her flail around in the darkness, using the camera to light her way...)

The worst part of all, there was no point. Where was the pinnacle? I kept watching and hoping, just to be let down. People don't waste your time on this flick.

Abhorent is the best way to describe this failure

[manuelasaez · 2/10 · 12 March 2016]

Even the worst films have some redeemable qualities, be it good acting, a solid premise, or even a good musical score. This film has absolutely none of that. Rarely have I seen such inept and completely talent-less film making, but this...this takes the damned cake with the many poor decision are made. First, the premise; What, exactly, is going on here? Is it the story of a Lesbian who suddenly decides that she doesn't like girls anymore? Is it the story of the NYC blackout of 2003? Or is it a story of girl who is mentally ill in some way? None of these questions are really answered. What you will find, however, is a useless lesbian sex scene (denoting some form of abuse or BDSM that is never fully realized), some absolutely horrendous acting by the female lead, and supporting characters that should never be given a role in a film ever again. The movie moves in a plodding pace, barely anything happens, and when it does, it is hidden by the poor use of shadow during the "blackout".

I have seen some dreadful movies in my day, and if you look at my review history, I do not shy away from calling a spade a spade, but this film has got to be one of the most inept, embarrassing, and downright insulting excuses for a horror film I have ever seen. Nothing about this film will be remembered, and for good reason; it is a shameful vanity project that shows neither merit nor skill, and you be be lucky to never have seen it. Avoid it like it has an airborne disease and your immune system is compromised.

I can make my own bad decisions

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 11 January 2018]

Kate Naylor (Whitney Able) lives with her loving girlfriend (Alex Breckenridge) in NYC. It is clear Kate has all kind of issues and may be unstable. When NYC goes dark during the 2003 blackout, our authors spring into action and use this as symbolism as emotionally and mentally, Kate is in a dark place. Get it. It would be soooo Indie clever if it hadn't been done a gazillon times before.

What we don't find out is Kate's real issues as she describes her life's problem in the abstract. We hear her say these clever Indie lines like, "I tried to be different" and my all time favorite, worth Indie extra bonus credit "I'm the real me." We have a long drawn out boring scene, not to be confused with the rest of the film outside of the opening lesbian sex scene, where our yoga instructor is smoking a cigarette while talking to a guy who may or may not be there. Here she is saying lines that don't match up with her lips, i.e. she has a cigarette in her mouth while we hear her speaking. That is fine, but I don't know is this by design, i.e. a clue that the guy is not there and she is crazy, or is this some bad over dubbing because they decided to write in some lines post production.

If you like watching people buy paper towels and crazy people talking to themselves but not really saying anything, then this film is for you. I couldn't get past someone creating another artsy film and just going through the motions they learned the first day of film school.

Guide: Swearing, F/F sex nudity (Whitney Able, Alex Breckenridge)

Bile in the back of my throat

[Northpole49 · 1/10 · 5 January 2018]

Oh my holy,merciful God.This movie managed to accomplish what thousands of movies before it have failed to do: Brink me to the threshhold of nausea from the inanity and ambiguity that reeked from this film.With the possible exception of the puzzling lesbian sex scene in the opening,this movie would have received no stars (Oops,I guess that's not allowed).Not even the prescence of the very talented Alexandra Breckinridge could save this movie;the primary reason that I watched it in the first place.What,for instance,happened with very noble Benoit? The last we see of him he is entering Kate's apartment,presumably to have sex,and then nothing after that.Are we supposed to assume that she imagined the whole encounter? Or was this film just directionless enough to not bother showing him after that;that he had sex with Kate and drifted away into the night? And who the hell did Kate sink the hammer into at the end? We're led to believe that it was her girlfriend Leah because all the audience sees is feminine arm.But why would Leah(assuming it's her) practically sneak into her own apartment without even announcing her prescence or even uttering a word for that matter to a woman not very well put together mentally(the prior suicide attempt) before creeping up on her? Makes no sense whatsoever and,trust me,I'm just scratching the surface here.Film like these ,however,give me hope that I can one day make my own film and have a better than 90% chance of it not being this bad.

Worst movie ever

[sammymacduff · 1/10 · 1 July 2017]

I literally don't have words to describe how awful this movie is. The ENTIRE time all the main character does is do random stuff around the house that has literally no point and there is absolutely no context or background. Absolutely nothing interesting happens until the last five seconds of the movie and it still doesn't explain anything. Even after finishing the movie I still had no idea what was going on or what the point of the movie was. Don't WASTE YOUR TIME. I'd rather watch sharknado for the rest of my life than watch this movie one more time.

More 2 stars than 3

[mattmusko · 3/10 · 28 October 2020]

I gave 3 stars because I spent so much time rolling my eyes watching this that I may have missed something worth seeing. There are few if any redeeming qualities associated with this film. I'm curious if it provided any inspiration for the 2019 film "The Wolf Hour" with Naomi Watts which is a far better film but still middle of the road for the genre. Skip this snooze fest.

Subtlety for a change

[pacogarcia-91631 · 8/10 · 6 January 2018]

WARNING: This is a thinking person's movie. After watching it the other night I was on the fence. I didn't know if I loved or hated this movie. Looking at reviews on here, it seems like other people have the same split reaction. On one hand it was NOT the movie I was expecting. From the description I thought it would be a thriller about home invaders during a blackout, instead of the slow psychological drama about a very depressed and paranoid woman who is coming apart from the inside. The blackout only works as a catalyst for her mental disintegration. After it was over I wasn't sure what the filmmaker was trying to say. Then as the next couple of days passed I realized the movie stuck with me. Whitney Able's performance was emotionally heartrending and the film has a way of getting under your skin. Certain aspects of the film started to impress me more 24 hours after I had watched it. So much of going to the movies today is about being mildly entertained for two hours and then walking out and forgetting about the experience. This film is the opposite. I can see why now some people hate it and others seem to love it. The film grew on me and I am really impressed with what the filmmakers did, especially on a low budget. It's not a perfect film but it is an emotional one which feels very personal. And that is refreshing in this day of mostly forgettable entertainment.

Amazing performance from lead actress

[RussHog · 7/10 · 3 October 2016]

This is a solid psychological thriller - with more intelligence than scares - but there are some good jumps and it is a well earned slow burn.

The premise is that our hero is a woman lives with her girlfriend - the only problem is that she may have some unwillingness to want to be in the relationship - and may be attracted to men. The girlfriend goes out of town - and our hero has some time to self reflect - the only problem is that NYC has a blackout. While she is able to cope initially - she begins to suspect a man is stalking her - and her mind descends into madness - or is she sane and there really is something wrong?

Whitney Able really owns this movie - almost the entire film is her reactions - and she really really deserves credit for her work in this film. I cannot remember the last time I watched a movie where the acting held the project together - as the script and the cinematography are both very well done - but this entire projects hinders on the performance of the lead actress and she really - really does an outstanding job.

If you want blood and slasher - this may not be for you. This is an intelligent art-house film with a helluva performance - and a very well earned suspenseful final act.

Brilliant film for an art-house crowd

[alisonporter-11374 · 8/10 · 18 May 2016]

This film rather took me by surprise. I went into this with no preconceived notions other than it was about the North American blackout of 2003 and had Alexandra Breckenridge (The Walking Dead) in it. This film hit me on a deeper level than expected and stayed with me for quite a few days after seeing it. It's portrayal of a young woman with mental issues, suffering from a very deep depression played to perfection by Whitney Able (Monsters) related to me. Knowing someone personally who dealt with depression, I thought the movie captured that state of mind completely. The subtle depiction of the lead, Kate's, slowly devolving emotional state through to it's brutal ending was uneasy to watch. I can see why some people may find the movie slow but I was gripped throughout because of the lead character. The acting is superb as well as the "jump cut" editing style and the cinematography, naturalistic and beautiful. The sound design, particularly in the second half, was really well done, especially considering most indie films usually fail on sound. It makes NY seem like a very intimidating place, at least in the main character's mind. Even though the film is set in NYC, it feels very much like a European film. Having grown up in the UK and loving a lot of art house films, most European cinema has never been plot-focused. European directors usually focus on the accurate representation of internal states, rather than external drives. This film's goal can be described in the same way and pulls it off quite successfully. It's definitely a movie that will not please everyone. It's not "entertaining" in the traditional movie sense but rather a cathartic, intimate experience for 93 minutes. If you like arty cinema with dark subject matter, you'll absolutely appreciate this indie gem.

Wasted Potential

[darkdaxtervc · 7/10 · 29 September 2017]

First of all, I must say I really enjoyed this movie. This is a very good character study, and this movie builds tension and suspense quite masterfully. My major problem with it is that starting from the bar scene most of her actions make no sense. There's clearly an increased potential for danger in the dead of night during a blackout, so why she so stubbornly refused the accompaniment home is strange. I get that she felt rejected after being so forward with Benny, but he didn't exactly say no to sex, so much as 'let's call it a night.' The night would've ended the same way if he'd said yes anyways. She was obviously way too drunk to be by herself too. In this case, while his actions are creepy, in a way he did the right thing by making sure she got home okay. The scene where she's talking to herself doesn't make sense without context. Is she schizophrenic? Was that the pill she was spit out? If so, why smoke weed to make the hallucinations even worse?

Throughout she continuously leaves the door unlocked, often locking it only after something weird happens. She keeps the window to the fire escape open, and keeps leaving the room to peer into the darkness, away from the safety of her home. She even abandons her flashlight because she can't see the bottom three stairs. The entire scene on the fire escape is stupid. It's like she's intentionally making herself as vulnerable as possible. Also, how does a grown woman not understand power outages? She let out all the cold air in her fridge and tried to connect to the internet.

I do like the ending, and her realization of events. I find her fear and disgust for her male neighbor realistic and saddening. Only in the end does she laugh and realize how similar they were. It gets a 6.5 from me.

P.S. I didn't see any undercurrents alluding to rape, but maybe I missed them. Any past trauma could've led to her behavior, so I'm leaning towards abuse. I just saw it all as depression and self-harming.

Great Acting and Atmosphere. Well crafted cinema, but not for everyone

[jimmyyuill-98448 · 8/10 · 12 July 2017]

After seeing this I can understand why this film seems to be so polarizing. If you go into it expecting a typical plot driven suspense/horror film you'll be disappointed. If you go in with an open mind and click into what the film is doing you'll be treated to an experiential, character driven thriller which pays off in the end. At its center is an award worthy performance by Whitney Able as a very damaged young woman (ex-model) whose internal demons manifest themselves in the darkness of her New York city apartment during the 2003 blackout. The performances are strong all around and it's beautifully shot, especially it's use of darkness and what you don't see. The film can be slow in parts but is ultimately in the service of character arc and building atmosphere. If you have patience you'll be rewarded with an astounding performance and suspenseful voyage into the id.

271. Dark.

[tfminfl · 6/10 · 26 September 2018]

Here is the synopsis for this movie: During a city blackout, a lonely and distraught woman becomes increasingly convinced someone is in her building. Or possibly in her apartment. False. The reality is: Kate seems to be unhappy in her relationship with Leah. Yes, there is a city wide blackout, based on reality in fact. Yes, I'd say she's pretty convinced someone is in her building, they are called neighbors. It wasn't a possibility that someone was in her apartment, it was fact. Kate's neighbor John walked into her place drunk, thinking it was his place, realizes his mistake, takes a piss and goes home. Does Kate stay home lonely and distraught? Um, no, she gets all dressed up and goes to a bar and picks up a dude. Sure some paranoia sets in after she smokes a marijuana cigarette, but she's really never in any danger except from maybe herself. It's actually a decent movie, just the description is way off...

Suspenseful descent into madness

[babsjansen · 10/10 · 24 July 2016]

Phenomenal performance by Whitney Able and the rest of the cast with great direction by Basile. One of the best arty indies I've seen this year. It's an atmospheric and intense emotional ride through the very disturbed brain of the main protagonist. I wish there were more movies made like this. It's also a terrifying and unsettling depiction of New York City during the blackout. I've read some comments where people complain about the film being too slow or too ambiguous. For me the gradual build and deliberate pacing is what set this film apart and allowed for me to really care about the main character. The finale of the film wouldn't have worked nearly as well if the buildup was rushed. I also really liked some of the ambiguous elements in the film. Today it seems like audiences want everything spelled out. The filmmakers here instead allow the audience to fill in some of the blanks which I find refreshing. Admittedly, this may not be everyone's cup of tea but I found it to be surprisingly well done. A very underrated thriller which I highly recommend.

Reality as Perception

[jackduvall · 10/10 · 7 February 2017]

This is an underrated work of art. I was blown away by the performances, especially the lead Kate played by Whitney Able (who was also fantastic in Gareth Edward's Monsters). It's a slow burn thriller which builds to an ultimate and tragic finale. The intense emotions on display are really well done. Underneath the surface it's really a study of depression and mental illness with moments of such deep despair it reminded me at times of Lars Von Trier's Melancholia. I will say I think this movie was marketed wrong as a horror film and the poster art is misleading. Some reviews seem to be people expecting a "jump scare" horror movie which this definitely is NOT. If that is what you are expecting you will be very disappointed. But, if you are like me, and really like and seek out more art house, character driven, psychological thrillers this film really delivers. It's a film that will stick with you for awhile. Like Antonioni's Blow-Up, Dark is an atmospheric journey with more layers to it than appear on the surface.

A character study and slow breakdown of a women in crisis

[dbidentity-31386 · 10/10 · 12 February 2016]

It started slow but grew in intensity as the darkness and mental breakdown of the female took over. The star and supporting cast were excellent. I read the three comments thus far given and only Lazarillo's hit the mark. The other two probable never watched the movie "Repulson" by Polanski and didn't understand the type of film intended. It was a take back to 1970's thrillers. During the Blackout Kate (Whitney Able) is trapped in her apartment, the darkness engulfs her and plays on her mind. She hears someone lurking in her apartment and her mine reverts back in time while she fades into madness and despair. Everything from direction, lighting, editing to the excellent music score kept me on edge

I

[8/10 · 16 January 2018]

Twenty-somethings Kate and Leah are in a rocky relationship when Leah plans on heading out of town. Kate lives in the heart of NYC, pretending to like it just to make her relationship survive. Once a blackout occurs, Kate starts to have an internal struggle on what to do without Leah and coping on her own. I would have rather had Leah stay during the blackout and Kate go out of town, but the actress that played Kate (Whitney Able) did a superb job at bringing out all of Kate's character flaws. Leah didn't show any character flaws while she was onscreen. There are some editing flaws - as in the sound doesn't match up correctly with the characters' lips on screen. This happens about five times in the movie. Check out this movie if you like psycho-dramas. I watched this on Netflix.

Hitchcockian

[johnmorgan-77646 · 9/10 · 13 January 2018]

Methodically paced, psychological thriller with a riveting performance by Whitney Able. This is an existential, character driven piece, deeply layered with subtext which can't be fully appreciated upon first viewing. It's more experiential than plot driven. In that aspect it reminded me of many superb thrillers from the 60's like "Don't Look Now" and "Repulsion". Basile has a very distinct vision here and I hope this underrated film will find it's audience. Recommended for a film literate viewer.