Shadows on the Wall

The Drama

dir-scr Kristoffer Borgli
prd Lars Knudsen, Ari Aster, Tyler Campellone
with Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie, Hailey Benton Gates, Sydney Lemmon, Hannah Gross, Anna Baryshnikov, Jordyn Curet, Michael Abbott Jr, Zoe Winters, Dee Nelson
release US/UK 3.Apr.26
26/US A24 1h45

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Expertly shot and edited to pull the audience into a moral dilemma that turns increasingly messy, this pitch-black romantic comedy offers meaty roles to Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, and they seriously rise to the occasion. Writer-director Kristoffer Borgli adeptly excavates the emotional fallout caused by an unwelcome truth. And while the script might take things a little too far, the film's open-handed edginess is provocative and even moving.

As their wedding approaches, Emma (Zendaya) and Charlie (Pattinson) revisit their cute courtship as they prepare their speeches with best pals Rachel (Haim) and Mike (Athie). Then at dinner the four push each other to reveal the worst thing they've ever done. And one story makes everyone freeze in their tracks. It also shifts the dynamic between them, sending each person into a singular spiral in the days before the big event. The question is if any of them can find a way to accept this new information. Or will it forever tarnish their connections?

It's fascinating to see how reactions reflect each person's specific personality, including ripples of shock and remorse, as well as blatant hypocrisy, plus physical impulses ranging from tears to vomit. Indeed, it's tricky to wrap our minds around two of these confessions, as they touch hot potato topics in ways that cut deeply. The escalating untidy emotionality helps ground things in real human feelings. And the rollercoaster narrative becomes increasingly fraught, largely because everyone gets in their own head. And Borgli makes sure we see this.

Zendaya and Pattinson are superb in these demanding roles, evoking a strong sense of the chemistry between Emma and Charlie even as they begin looking at each other through dubious eyes. They are equally gifted at both the dramatic and comical moments, and they are often astonishingly raw as well. Haim and Athie are also excellent, delivering offhanded and honest supporting turns. And several side roles catch the attention, especially Curet as the young Emma in flashbacks.

This is the kind of movie that gets into our heads, forcing us to ponder something unthinkable. In this sense it's reminiscent of Ruben Ostlund's Force Majeure, which is referenced obliquely, as it asks the characters to see each other in the light of new information. Human nature makes this very, very difficult, and while the filmmaking may sometimes take cheap shots, it also suggests that there might be a path forward, as difficult as it may be.

themes, language, violence, sexuality 3.Apr.26

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