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Review by Sean Boelman
A still from Navalny, an official selection of the U.S. Documentary section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
The film voted by audiences to be their overall favorite of the festival was not one of the many crowd-pleasers in the lineup, but the whistleblower documentary Navalny. And while it is far from the best movie of the slate (and not even the best documentary), Daniel Roher has made a film that is both thrilling and angering.
Shot as the events unfold, the movie follows a Russian activist who survives an assassination attempt with a lethal nerve agent during his fight against corruption in Moscow. It’s a truly wild story that unfolded quite recently, and so it has a feeling of timeliness and urgency that not many of the other documentaries that played in the U.S. Documentary Competition had. The film does a really good job of making the audience sympathize with its subject. Roher really explores why there has been an entire movement of people to come out and support him in the face of the outright persecution he has faced. But beyond that, it is also easy to get behind him for what he stands for politically. Roher joins the activist early on in his journey, before things start to heat up even more, and so the audience gets to watch everything as it plays out. The movie even bills itself as a thriller, and the label is certainly earned. Even though informed viewers will know where this story ends up, the twists and turns are fascinating. The film mostly takes a fly-on-the-wall format, although there are some interviews sprinkled in to provide necessary context. The middle section of the movie turns into an investigative documentary of sorts, following Navalny and his team as they set out to find the truth behind what happened to him, and that is the most interesting portion. What is most impressive about Roher’s film is the extraordinary access he was able to get to Navalny. The interviews in which Navalny is just on-camera speaking with the filmmaker about his story are fascinating, and even introduce some interesting questions about standing up in the face of opposition. Obviously, this movie is all about freedom of speech and censorship, a topic which hits close to home to a lot of Americans these days. In a time in which there are so many threats to democracy, this film about someone who is fighting for freedom in one of the most oppressive places in the world is inspiring. Navalny benefits from the profound access it has to its subject, who is an absolutely fascinating person, making for a documentary that is quite effective. It’s not particularly surprising, but it’s a well-made exposé of corruption and the people who are fighting back against it. Navalny screened at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, which runs virtually from January 20-30. Rating: 4/5
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Review by Sean Boelman
A still from 892 by Abi Damaris Corbin, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute. | Photo by Chris Witt.
Some of the buzzier titles to screen at Sundance are always the star-driven films, and while some are great, others end up being movies that are just alright but are elevated by their cast. Abi Damaris Corbin’s 892 is an entertaining thriller which turns into something genuinely memorable thanks to John Boyega’s great turn.
The film follows a Marine veteran struggling to reintegrate into society as he holds up a bank in a desperate attempt to get his voice heard. Although the movie is based on a true story, it plays out in a very Hollywood-friendly manner, hitting a lot of the genre’s typical beats and full of overly sentimental moments to hammer home the film’s message. This is definitely a very tense movie, but it still plays out in a way very similar to other films that have come in the past. Corbin and co-writer Kwame Kwei-Armah do a good enough job of establishing the stakes for the audience to really get invested in the movie and get caught up in its suspense. Corbin’s approach to directing the film is competent but conventional. It’s mostly a single-room thriller, with most of the action occurring in and around the bank with the exception of the introduction and a few brief cutaways. And the movie does a very good job of making the audience feel the sense of claustrophobia that really drives the suspense forward. There is a lot of potential in the film for it to be a commentary on the wrongdoing of the US military towards its veterans, but this feels like it was used more as context than out of a legitimate interest in it. It’s frequently discussed how the protagonist is motivated by his veteran’s benefits being stolen from him, but the movie never really discusses it substantially. The methods of characterization used in the script are very straightforward, but it is effective at doing what the film intends to accomplish. The use of the protagonist’s wife and daughter to create an emotional connection to the character may be low-hanging fruit, but it gives the viewer that necessary in-point to the story. That said, this is a movie that really banks on the talents of its cast to work. Without strong performers in the roles, it would have been another dime-a-dozen thriller. John Boyega does some exceptional work here, bringing an intense humanity to a role that easily could have been exaggerated. And in the supporting cast, Nicole Beharie shines as one of the hostages, and the late Michael K. Williams is strong as the police negotiator. 892 is a decent movie all-around, but John Boyega is the reason it works so well as it does. It’s a palatable, mainstream film that deals with some important issues somewhat shallowly, so it should be an easy pickup for release later this year. 892 screened at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, which runs virtually from January 20-30. Rating: 3.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Aubrey Plaza appears in Emily the Criminal by John Patton Ford, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute. | Photo by Low Spark Films.
With what is perhaps the worst title of any of the films in the festival, John Patton Ford’s Emily the Criminal promised to be a thriller with a socially-conscious edge. And while there are no complaints to be had in terms of its entertainment value, the movie only has fleeting moments of profundity.
The film follows a woman who, struggling to get out of her student loan debt and unable to find a high-paying job out of college, gets roped into a credit card scam and begins to spiral into the criminal underworld. It’s the same type of “good person driven to desperate measures” thriller that we have seen plenty of times before, and little is done to make it stand out. Even though the movie goes exactly in the direction that one would expect, it does a good job of keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. The more high-anxiety scenes, while not unpredictable, are shot in a way as to heighten the tension to create an artificial feeling of suspense even though the viewer knows what is going to happen. Ford also imbues the film with an intriguing aesthetic. Although the movie is set in the modern day, it almost has a retro vibe to it. It has a vibe that is almost reminiscent of the Safdies’ work, albeit at a scale that is much less aggressive. There are a few scenes done in a way that shows Ford has a propensity for shooting action. It seems that Ford is trying to say something about the flaws of the education system with his film, but it doesn’t end up amounting to much more than a strong motivation for his characters. Apart from one scene that absolutely skewers the system of unpaid internships, the movie is disappointingly toothless in this regard. That said, even though the motivation for the protagonist is solid, the character is somewhat problematically-written. Frequent confrontations in which the character is involved make the character feel somewhat stand-offish, including the opening scene which threatens to get the audience off on the wrong foot. Aubrey Plaza’s performance in the leading role is very good, full of the required anger it takes to pull the character off. Admittedly, there isn’t anything particularly nuanced about it — the character is very one-note, as is the script — but she does exactly what the character demands, and well. Theo Rossi, on the other hand, is terrible. The performance he gives is just unintelligibly misguided. Emily the Criminal is enjoyable enough for what it is, although it doesn’t accomplish the loftier goals it sets for itself. For those seeking out an entertaining thriller that has glimpses of provocation but isn’t too challenging, this is worth watching. Emily the Criminal screened at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, which runs virtually from January 20-30. Rating: 3.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
There aren’t a lot of films that give young people the credit they deserve as individuals who can be genuinely intelligent and wise, and that is something that really makes Futura unique. However, this documentary is arguably more effective in intent than execution, as the directors’ work here feels oddly removed.
In the movie, filmmakers Pietro Marcello, Francesco Munzi, and Alice Rohrwacher interview teenagers throughout Italy about their dreams and their visions of the future. It’s an interesting approach to explore the world through the eyes of the people who will be shaping it and inheriting it, but it also feels like the movie is less profound than it believes it is. One of the fascinating things that this film does is call attention to the things that are important to today’s youth. However, one has to wonder how much of this is actually the subjects of the movie philosophizing, and how much of it is driven by the questions that the interviewers are asking. Would these kids even be discussing, much less thinking about these things without the guiding hand of the filmmakers? There is also the fact that the film feels very distant from its subjects. The movie almost seems to look at the people it is interviewing as a sort of other. Although the film definitely deserves points for even acknowledging and respecting their perspective, it feels as if the audience is supposed to be surprised at the fact that these people are so smart, which feels extremely reductive. 
And for what is meant to be a portrait of the entire country of Italy, it’s a shame that the interviews in the movie seem rather limited. Although the filmmakers traveled the country to interview teens from a variety of places, they failed to recognize much in the way of fringe groups and those who are generally considered outsiders among their peers.
This does cause the film to feel rather derivative at a certain point. The interviews aren’t disinteresting, but after a while, the movie has gotten its message across and is simply beating a dead horse. It’s easy to see how the world is a dark place, but there is hope to be found if people are optimistic. The cinematography has some glimpses of gorgeousness. It’s often beautifully-shot with some wonderful use of the scenery of Italy. However, given the fact that a majority of the film is just talking heads, there is only so much that can be done aesthetically, and Marcello, Munzi, and Rohrwacher do their best to make it visually interesting. Futura shows a lot of potential, and should be appreciated for its great intentions, but it’s just not anywhere near as effective as it could have been. It’s noble, even if its efforts do come up mostly hollow. Futura is now playing in theaters. Rating: 3/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack appear in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande by Sophie Hyde, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute. | Photo by Nick Wall.
If the COVID-19 pandemic has had one positive effect on the film industry, it is an increased appreciation for intimate chamber pieces. Sophie Hyde’s Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is one hell of a two-hander, with a script that is wonderfully witty and two brilliant performances at its center.
The movie follows a widow who hires a male escort in her search for emotional and physical connection, but ends up finding herself in the process. It’s a premise that sounds like it could very easily turn into something preachy or overly sappy, but Katy Brand’s script maintains a certain level of nuance and subtlety to it that works very well. Brand sets up the film around a series of meetings that occur between the two characters. And for a movie that is a chamber piece, primarily set in a hotel room and composed predominantly of pillow talk, it finds a way of making these conversations cinematic. Apart from one section that is a bit more somber than the rest, it’s pretty thoroughly gripping. Perhaps the most impressive thing is the way in which the film frankly explores these traditionally taboo themes. The movie really dissects the stigma that society has against sex workers, both about the sex worker and their client, as well as topics of sex positivity and body image. At first, it seems like the protagonist is a standard grieving widow and the co-lead is a charming pretty boy, but it becomes obvious starting with the second meeting that there is more to them than they initially let on. It’s a supportive, grounded take on a profession that is far too often disparaged in the media. Emma Thompson has always been an extremely talented actress, and the work that she is doing here is pretty exceptional. She absolutely eats up the dialogue in a way that will really hit the viewer in the heart. But perhaps more surprising is the fact that Daryl McCormack holds his own against the more seasoned performer. Given that the film is a dialogue-driven comedy set in a small number of locations, it doesn’t have a lot that is obvious about its execution. However, some of the quieter aspects of filmmaking, such as the blocking, really shine here and compound the excellent work being done by the two actors. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is the type of movie that is somehow extremely memorable despite the fact that it isn’t very showy. It’s a charmer and a crowd-pleaser, but it still approaches its themes in a thoughtful way. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande screened at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, which runs virtually from January 20-30. Rating: 4/5 |