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The actors simply aren't experienced enough to make this kind of unnatural dialog work. Medina directs them to deliver blunt lines with steel-eyed earnestness, which accentuates the problem. At least they all look great on-camera. But even the actors' rare natural moments are shot with an archness that avoids any sense of realistically earthy interaction. Walker is the only performer who gets away with this, because he's playing such a psychologically stunted man. And he's better in scenes that rely on physicality rather than words.

There's some technical expertise in the film's crew, most notably cinematographer Duncan Cole, who makes the most of light, shadow and colour. But Medina assembles scenes with a slack pace that feels oddly halting, and the parallel timelines are cut together without much narrative connection. All of which makes it increasingly impossible for the audience to engage with either the intrigue or the emotions. So as Medina stretches this into an epic-style vengeance thriller, it feels increasingly distant.

themes, language, violence, sexuality

5.Aug.19

Both Golding and Adewunmi have intense charisma as Femi, delivering complex performances that are based in their eyes. Each actor is likeable, drawing the audience into Femi's journey. And Adewumni has the added task of keeping the viewer on-side even as Femi dabbles in dicey behaviour, lying to people close to him and indulging in criminality and violence. That we never give up hope for him is remarkable, perhaps due to Ikumelo's unusually textured turn as his harsh but caring mother.

There's such a strong emotional pull to this film that the narrative choppiness never becomes a problem. But Amoo skips past quite a few events, never quite defining side characters (even with a glimpse of his family life, Mace is little more than a stereotypical heavy). And the story leaps through a few awkward transitions, including the jump to the final scenes in Lagos, which are gorgeously shot in askance style. In other words, the film is beautiful to look at, and is often moving, but it also feels somewhat incomplete.

themes, language, violence

7.Aug.19

The characters are relatively straightforward, and each could do with some more texture. That said, Schank relaxes into the role with sarcastic charm, while Field remains blithely witty. Their dialog is jaunty and superficial, sharing opinions and jokes until finally shifting to recount their stories. And the way things spiral out of control is played with an offhanded sense of humour that's both engaging and unexpected. Both Cobrin and Baumgartner have much more cartoonish characters, but find moments of silly fun along the way.

The film has several good ideas in it, and the characters are intriguing, but Sabet doesn't quite pick up anything and run with it. Revelations and plot turns add a playfully jokey tone, including a subtle running gag about what's needed to lure people out of their homes and into a cinema. But there are lapses in logic (they never think to call for help using a phone, for example, and how can Zoe afford her loft apartment selling books and designing T-shirts?). So while there's not much to the film at all, it's brief and funny enough to keep a smile on the face.

themes

8.Aug.19