Descent (2007)

A college co-ed is brutally raped and struggles alone to rebuild her life.

Director:

Talia Lugacy

Writers:

Brian Priest, Talia Lugacy

Stars:

Rosario Dawson, Chad Faust, Marcus Patrick

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rosario Dawson	...	Maya
Chad Faust	...	Jared
Marcus Patrick	...	Adrian
Vanessa Ferlito	...	Bodega Girl
Jonathan Neil Schneider	...	Archaeology Professor (as Jon Schneider)
James A. Stephens	...	Professor Byron
Nicole Vicius	...	Melanie
Paul Sado	...	Downstairs Guy
Scott Bailey	...	Upstairs Guy
Tracie Thoms	...	Denise
Aisleagh Jackson	...	Construction Girl (as Aislaegh Jackson)
Robert Lehrer	...	Speaker
Alexie Gilmore	...	Seline
Johnathan Tchaikovsky	...	Tyler
Colombe Jacobsen-Derstine	...	Nadia

Storyline

In the winter of her senior year, Maya talks to Jared at a frat party, accepts his invitation to dinner at a nice restaurant, then goes to his apartment, just to talk. He assaults her. Her personality changes, she's withdrawn; she graduates and takes a job at a clothing store, staying apart from co-workers. At night, she's someone else: a beauty at the club scene, dancing, seductive, sniffing cocaine, becoming the friend of a heavy hitter. She thinks about her racial identity. That fall, she's a grad student, and Jared is in an exam she proctors. She invites him to her apartment; he's certain she's stuck on him.

---

Plot Keywords:

male full frontal nudity | sexual torture | misandry | male on male rape | female on male rape | 

---

Genres:

Drama | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for brutal rape, language, some sexual content and drug use

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rosario Dawson's mother Isabel played the bartender, wrote and performed the song "Celia" (played when Maya wakes up and is offered an apple), and was also an associate producer on the film.

---

Quotes

Adrian: Hello, fairy cake. Huh?
[makes kissing noises]
Adrian: Yeah. You never forget your first one, baby.

---

Alternate Versions

Released on DVD in separate R-rated and NC-17 rated versions. The NC-17 DVD runs for around seven minutes longer.

---

Connections

References The Last House on the Left (1972)

---

Soundtracks

The Lucky Ones
Written by Neil Nathan
Performed by Neil Nathan and Mike Brenner
Produced by David Seitz and Neil Nathan

User Reviews

Horrifying--both content and film

While the content of this film is truly horrifying, it is poorly executed and leaves viewers with a sense of, well, violation. I was only able to watch half of this movie at first, leaving off a little less than halfway through. I should have just done myself a favor and not bothered with the last half, for it was badly written, half-heartedly acted, and the events in the second half are wildly unbelievable. While you feel pity for the protagonist in the first half, her "revenge" is extreme and angry, leaving the audience to stare at the last shot, just before fading into darkness, going: "...what did I just see?" The lighting is brutal (seriously, if you watch it, leave the lights on) and the mismatched cast is somewhat pathetic--even Rosario Dawson could not save this doomed piece. For a sad, realistic (and short) story, stick to the first half, then excuse yourself from the rest of the film. Yet if you want to see an unlikely, and even more disgusting turn of events, just watch the whole thing. I was disappointed I did not find this graphic, gritty movie interesting, but even more disappointed that nothing was really accomplished through the "heroine's" journey.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

26 April 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Descent

Filming Locations:

Fairleigh Dickinson University - 285 Madison Avenue, Madison, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,411, 12 August 2007

Gross USA:

$15,233

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$15,233

Company Credits

Production Co:

City Lights Pictures, M.E.G.A. Films, Trybe Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min 94 min (R-rated)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1