On this page: DEVIL'S PATH | 2050 | THE WEDDING GUEST

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Twardokus and Scalzo are terrific, creating complex and enigmatic characters who hold the interest. Both are likeable even with hints that there are important things they don't know about each other. Why is Noah's back so badly scarred? Did Patrick know Noah's brother? As they work together to find a way out of their predicament, the actors find clever ways to connect and clash with each other, building realistically awkward chemistry and camaraderie. And each discovery about the other raises some grim questions.

Montgomery maintains a nice balance between impending nastiness and character-based interaction between two men who continue to debate big issues while running for their lives. The film is skilfully shot to make the forest look dense and dangerous. And the script cleverly drip-feeds hints to the audience; we never know more than the characters do, so the sense of menace becomes darkly overwhelming. Even if the final act becomes rather unhinged, the strong attention to character detail pulls the audience into the grisly mayhem.

themes, language, violence

4.Mar.19

This offbeat tone gives the actors a chance to play realistically complex characters, mixing throwaway humour with darker comedy and drama. Fuller and Vaughn are solid in the central roles as likeable guys trying to sort out their love lives. Abraham is also engaging, although her character is more sidelined. Meanwhile, actors playing robotic e-mates vary in stiffness, some expressing sassy attitude and others remaining rather blank. Other side characters have their moments, while Cain lends some star gravitas in an offhanded role.

As the intertwined story-threads continue, there are philosophical conversations that supply the audience with plenty of ideas to chew on even if they never really draw us into the character journeys. This makes the film feel almost like a series of disconnected scenes, rather than a narrative with a sense of momentum. It also lends itself to some rather over-the-top moralising about the nature of love and happiness. The film is intriguing, and it looks great, but it's also choppy. And the best moments involve simple humanity.

themes, language, sexuality

4.Mar.19

Patel gives Jay a driving sense of purpose as a man determined to get the job done, although the way he plays the role hints that he probably doesn't have much of a life to go home to. This makes him a fascinating figure, charismatic but darkly haunted. He also remains likeable even when he does some nasty things. Opposite him, Apte builds her own powerful presence as the events unfold, defining Samira more by her sheer force of will than any other factors we might know about her (and we never know much). And in a smaller role, Sarbh adds a superb smiley swagger.

Since the narrative has no real sense of where it starts, it's difficult to care much about where it's heading. The only hope is that these people can extricate themselves from an increasingly thorny situation and find a way to have a less stressful future, either together or apart. The guns, stolen jewels and cultural intolerance never feel like more than plot contrivances, so the internal journeys these people take are what draw the audience in. Although we're basically only seeing a segment of those journeys.

themes, language, violence

26.Feb.19