Micro-spoiler is near the END of this review with lots of warning.
If films were judged solely by directing, cinematography and acting, this would be a winner. But there are still concepts we refer to as plot and story line that are part of the genre, and in those areas this story falls apart.
This film is quite realistic and understandable and lead the viewer to believe this will carry throughout the film. It even offers a plot twist that is fairly well done. But that plot twist turns into hard-to-swallow, then ludicrous premise and winds up in surrealistic absurdist "What was that?" ending. It leaves the viewer wondering exactly what point were the film makers trying to make?
This is not a cerebral film with a hidden message that savvy movie-goers will pick up on. This is a film that loses all its momentum and element of belief in a self-indulgent plunge into the ridiculous. The director tries to be clever and fails. What is supposed to be a plot twist turns into a plot twisted, one that leaves us disappointed not only in the reality that the movie failed to deliver-- but disappointed that it failed to live up to its tremendous potential.
MICRO-SPOILER FOLLOWS. It's not much of a spoiler... but necessary to properly discuss this film.
This is one of the few films that I can say was very successful right up to the last five minutes, throws in a potentially great plot twist-- then throws it all away in a surreal binge that is so anti-climactic it ruins all the film had accomplished to that point.
All that is needed to discuss the sole problem with this film is to mention the point from where one of the characters (I won't state which one) turns out to be totally off-the-wall crazy. That's okay; that particular element really adds to the film. But the final resolution of that is so unbelievable and ludicrous it's like an anti-plot to the rest of the film. Then the very last scene leaves us scratching our heads wondering what the writer and director were smoking when they decided to throw it in there. I can think of at least two alternative endings that would have made this a very good film. (Although frankly, I could have done without the gratuitous gory violence thrown in to an otherwise excellent drama.)
If we wanted a quick plot synopsis: excellent acting, excellent directing, excellent filming, sudden DUD.
When it comes to hitting the target, this one strikes with the arrow butt-first and no reason as to why.
If films were judged solely by directing, cinematography and acting, this would be a winner. But there are still concepts we refer to as plot and story line that are part of the genre, and in those areas this story falls apart.
This film is quite realistic and understandable and lead the viewer to believe this will carry throughout the film. It even offers a plot twist that is fairly well done. But that plot twist turns into hard-to-swallow, then ludicrous premise and winds up in surrealistic absurdist "What was that?" ending. It leaves the viewer wondering exactly what point were the film makers trying to make?
This is not a cerebral film with a hidden message that savvy movie-goers will pick up on. This is a film that loses all its momentum and element of belief in a self-indulgent plunge into the ridiculous. The director tries to be clever and fails. What is supposed to be a plot twist turns into a plot twisted, one that leaves us disappointed not only in the reality that the movie failed to deliver-- but disappointed that it failed to live up to its tremendous potential.
MICRO-SPOILER FOLLOWS. It's not much of a spoiler... but necessary to properly discuss this film.
This is one of the few films that I can say was very successful right up to the last five minutes, throws in a potentially great plot twist-- then throws it all away in a surreal binge that is so anti-climactic it ruins all the film had accomplished to that point.
All that is needed to discuss the sole problem with this film is to mention the point from where one of the characters (I won't state which one) turns out to be totally off-the-wall crazy. That's okay; that particular element really adds to the film. But the final resolution of that is so unbelievable and ludicrous it's like an anti-plot to the rest of the film. Then the very last scene leaves us scratching our heads wondering what the writer and director were smoking when they decided to throw it in there. I can think of at least two alternative endings that would have made this a very good film. (Although frankly, I could have done without the gratuitous gory violence thrown in to an otherwise excellent drama.)
If we wanted a quick plot synopsis: excellent acting, excellent directing, excellent filming, sudden DUD.
When it comes to hitting the target, this one strikes with the arrow butt-first and no reason as to why.