Review by Camden Ferrell A Simple Wedding is the feature film directorial debut for Sara Zandieh. While this film has enough charm thanks to its loveable leads, it doesn’t fully realize its potential to stand out from other romantic comedies. This movie follows Nousha, the only daughter to strict Iranian immigrants as she navigates a new relationship with Alex, a bisexual artist. Their relationship and hasty engagement lead to plenty of drama and culture clash that makes their wedding anything but simple. This genre of movie never really gets a lot of diversity, and the integration of combating cultures gives this film a narrative edge even if it isn’t properly utilized. The script, which was co-written by Zandieh, is very witty for the first half of the film. Zandieh executes the meet cute in a really charming way, and it definitely gives its characters unique personalities. Unfortunately, the script becomes fairly clunk in the latter half of the film, and it doesn’t do too much to naturally develop its characters. It feels a little derivative and contrived at times even if it’s always well-intentioned. The acting is very good from its leads. Tara Grammy gives a really great performance as Nousha. She embodies a confident spirit that is captivating, and she balances the simultaneous struggle with her culture with her newfound love really well. Christopher O’Shea plays off of Grammy really well as Alex. He is great in the awkward moments of the movie, and his character is really entertaining to watch especially when he shares a scene with Grammy. The main flaw of this film is how it ignores its most valuable attributes. Within the first act, the movie delivers such progressive characters who don’t really exhibit those traits later on. The liberal beliefs of its characters are genuinely refreshing and comforting, but it’s a charm that isn’t utilized throughout the film. It loses its narrative edge by playing it too safe rather than leaning into its more daring values.
This movie also spends a lot of its time lingering in its second act. The chemistry and relationship of its characters is what works best in this movie, but it loses sight of that in its second act. It pulls you out of the personal story of the two leads, and it makes the film drag considerably. While some of these choices were narrative necessities, it just wasn’t executed properly. However, the movie does still have a certain level of charm working in its favor. It has likeable leads, and an eccentric romance that still hits most of its beats. The supporting cast is mostly forgettable, but the performances of the leads definitely make up for it. By all means, this is a standard romantic comedy, and that’s not a bad thing, but it certainly had potential to break some new ground. A Simple Wedding is a movie that will please those looking for a sweet and inconsequential romance film. It features some great performances, witty writing, but doesn’t always make the best narrative choices. However, it should more than suffice for some Valentine’s Day viewing. A Simple Wedding comes out on VOD February 14th. Rating: 3/5
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Review by Sean Boelman Having been the subject of controversy upon its debut at TIFF last year, Yaron Zilberman’s incendiary thriller Incitement was Israel’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature but was not nominated. A challenging and thought-provoking look at division and conflict, Zilberman’s film is important even when it bites off more than it can chew. The movie explores the year leading up to the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, the former Prime Minister of Israel, and the events and political ideologies that drove the assassin to commit the crime. Although it seems like it would be problematic for a film dealing with such a tragic event to be told from the perspective of the assassin, Zilberman takes great care not to heroize the movie’s lead, instead using his story as a parable. This film is, first and foremost, about the dangers of division. In an era in which society is essentially defined by the conflicts that are caused by it, this story is just as important now as it was in 1995. Similarly to what some other filmmakers tried (and failed) to do last year, Zilberman is able to effectively capture the precariousness of the situation while treading the thin line between depicting the mindset of a terrorist and bringing light to it. The main reason why Zilberman’s movie is so successful is that, unlike other recent films about “revolutionary” figures, Zilberman does not portray assassin Yigal Amir in a positive, or even morally ambiguous light. Although Zilberman’s stance on Rabin and his politics is clearly mixed, the movie emphasizes that Amir was very much in the wrong. While Amir would suggest that violence begets violence, Zilberman asserts that peace can be attained in other ways. Yehuda Nahari gives an absolutely phenomenal performance in his leading role. It is extremely difficult for an actor to pull off an unsympathetic character such as this with the subtlety to make it feel natural, and yet Nahari succeeds. There is just enough emotion in the role to make the character feel believable without humanizing him, and the result is an adequate feeling of anger and disgust at the character.
Zilberman paces the film in a way that is undeniably anxiety-inducing and thrilling. The dialogue-driven scenes are wonderful, as there is a particular cadence between the lines, allowing these scenes to build a natural intensity. Deliberately-placed scenes of calm between the storms further create tension and unease. One of the most impressive things about the movie is the way in which Zilberman is able to immerse the viewer in this world. From the aspect ratio to the incorporation of archive materials, the film is designed in a way to emulate the look and feel of the news footage that was taken during the era. The effect is a movie that is thoroughly captivating and fascinating. Yaron Zilberman’s thriller Incitement is not without its flaws, but it is a nuanced look at the unfortunate political division that overwhelmingly plagues society. Though it isn’t the best Israeli film of last year, it is still a riveting and harrowing watch. Incitement is now playing in theaters. Rating: 4.5/5 Review by Sean Boelman As the follow-up to their atmospheric chiller Goodnight Mommy, filmmakers Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz return with The Lodge, a creepy new film set in the confines of a snowbound cabin. Yet despite an extremely talented cast and some solid craftsmanship on display, the script is simply too weak to hold the movie up. The film follows a woman who finds herself snowed in at a remote cabin with her two soon-to-be-stepchildren as strange occurrences begin to take place, causing even further friction within their relationship. Ultimately, the movie is a pretty conventional isolation thriller, albeit with a particularly devious twist (as one would expect from Fiala and Franz). Unfortunately, the biggest weakness of the film is that Fiala and Franz don’t seem to have a complete grasp of the movie’s flow of time. Although this is almost fitting given the fact that a significant part of what makes the film so dread-inducing is the disorientation that the characters feel from losing track of their surroundings, this also results in significant portions of the movie that drag. The film does explore some extremely interesting themes, although these are unfortunately largely left underdeveloped as the movie begins to resort more to horror movie cliches. The beginning of the film starts out as a riveting exploration of grief and trauma, and while Fiala and Franz eventually stick the landing, the journey they take to get there isn’t all too satisfying. Part of the reason why the movie doesn’t have the intended emotional impact is that the character development is rather lackluster. Although the first act gets off to a relatively strong start, setting up character arcs with some very strong potential, the film goes in a very different direction for the second and third acts. While there is still some good stuff happening, nothing works as well as the hard-hitting introduction.
In many ways, the movie serves as the perfect starring vehicle for its lead Riley Keough. Although the supporting cast, which consists of Jaeden Martell, Richard Armitage, Lia McHugh, and Alicia Silverstone is great, it is Keough who shines the brightest. Her performance is nuanced and filled with emotion, bringing to mind other recent great horror performances like that of Toni Colette in Hereditary. Visually, Fiala and Franz bring an eerie style to the film, and this is arguably the movie’s greatest strength. Granted, the editing is a bit haphazard at times, but the cinematography and production design are both top-notch and do a wonderful job of setting the film’s atmosphere. Some of the movie’s visuals are haunting and will stick with viewers long after the credits roll. There are a lot of good things happening in Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz’s The Lodge, but it is too uneven to be of much impact. Still, thanks to a strong performance from Riley Keough, it is worth watching. The Lodge opens in theaters on February 7. Rating: 3/5 Review by Sean Boelman A harrowing and heartbreaking tale of war in an awards season crowded with them, Russian filmmaker Kantemir Balagov’s newest movie Beanpole manages to stand out among them. With an absolutely soul-crushing story (and a phenomenal sense of visual style to boot), Balagov’s film is one that will haunt viewers for quite a while. The movie follows two young women in post-WWII Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) as they struggle to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the war. Very few films have addressed the impact and consequences of war as successfully as this one, largely because Balagov and co-writer Aleksandr Terekhov approach it in a way that focuses almost exclusively on the feelings of trauma felt by the victims. Also impressive about the movie is that it is told from a perspective that is far too often ignored in relation to the war. In Russia during WWII, women would serve as soldiers, and upon returning home, struggled to re-conform to the restrictive ideals of patriarchal society. There is a lot of unexplored history to be found in this side of the war, and the script does an excellent job of bringing this to light. Additionally, Balagov and Terekhov infuse the character with so much humanity that the emotion of the film becomes undeniable. By creating an unmistakable sense of dread, Balagov allows his commentary on the brutality and unfairness of war, especially on the people who are forced to conduct it, to land in an even more affecting way. The two lead actresses of the movie, Viktoria Miroshnichenko and Vasilisa Perelygina, have tremendous chemistry together, and this is made even more impressive by the fact that both of them are first-time actresses. Complementing the natural emotion of the script with performances that are vulnerable and believable, Miroschnichenko and Perelygina have a great career ahead of them if they choose to go down that path.
Balagov’s film is also extremely impressive on a technical level. The cinematography and use of color are phenomenal, immersing the viewer in this world of post-WWII Russia (for better or worse). Particularly effective is Balagov’s use of long takes, causing the scene to simmer and a sense of discomfort to brew within the viewer. That said, the movie does have a few issues with pacing. In its committed attempt to show an honest portrayal of trauma, the film does have some portions that will lose the interest of viewers. Ultimately, the disorienting shifts between stagnation and intensity seem entirely purposeful, but these decisions don’t always pay off. For the most part, Beanpole is a meaningful discussion of the human consequences of war. Thanks to a talented filmmaker at the helm and an emotion-filled script, this joins the list of underappreciated international movies that deserved more awards attention than they got. Beanpole is now playing in theaters. Rating: 4/5 Review by Sean Boelman Telling the life story of controversial Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, the new documentary Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words struggles to maintain relevance with the issues it hopes to address. Although it is ultimately well-meaning, the film suffers from its lack of filter. In the beginning, Thomas’s story is an important and inspiring one, his upbringing in Georgia during the Civil Rights era being the main focus of the movie. However, as the film begins to transition into Thomas’s legal career, it will also lose the interest of most audience members, as director Michael Pack seems to become more satisfied with delivering a generic biography. Arguably the biggest issue with this documentary is that it is simply too long. At nearly two hours in length, it doesn’t matter how much story there is to be told, it needs to be done in a cinematic way to keep the audience’s interest. And with Pack’s painfully conventional style combined with Thomas’s often monotonous narration, that becomes a difficult task to achieve. Almost the entirety of the movie is framed around an interview that was conducted with Thomas, and although it is compelling to hear the story from the mouth of the person who lived it, one can’t help but feel like a bit more diversity in interviewees would have been beneficial. The film does contain some brief interviews with Thomas’s wife, but they are largely inconsequential. Of course, Pack does incorporate archive footage and photographs into the movie, but they are used in a way that pales in comparison to what Ken Burns can do with that type of materials. This is partially because the use of sound in the film is entirely underwhelming. The movie’s score is just as bland as the rest of the film’s presentation.
Even more frustrating is the fact that it doesn’t provide any real insight into Thomas as a person. A majority of the movie focuses on the major events of Thomas’s life, and while that suffices as a Wikipedia-page-style summary of his accomplishments, a documentary claiming to be “in his own words” ought to go into a bit more depth. That said, the thing that will likely prove to be the most problematic about this film is its questionable treatment of the sexual assault allegations against Thomas. This portion of the movie seems too preoccupied with defending Thomas to address the nuances of the situation. As a result, the film feels aggressive and standoffish. Ultimately, Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words means well, but it is executed in such a problematic and mediocre way that it does not work. Viewers would be much better off watching other more entertaining documentaries about Supreme Court Justices. Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words is now playing in theaters. Review: 2/5 Review by Camden Ferrell Thunderbolt in Mine Eye is a teen romance and coming of age film directed by Sarah Sherman and Zachary Ray Sherman. This film was also produced by indie icons Jay and Mark Duplass. This movie may fly under the radar, but it’s a wholesome and sweet love story that will speak to today’s generation in a unique and funny way. This movie follows an intelligent high school freshman, Harper, and the relationship she forms with her brother’s best friend, Tilly. This is a tale that has been told countless times, but Sarah Sherman’s script captures this story with a true modern spirit that allows it to stand out. It’s an authentic representation of Generation Z and the relationships they have. This is a movie that aims to celebrate young love and properly explore its complexities. It’s not a traditional teen comedy that is over the top and functions as a caricature of high school culture, nor is it a pretentious and preachy thematic exploration of love. It aims to tell a realistic story about two people and the bond they share, and this movie does exactly that. There are no gimmicks and no forced raunchy humor; it’s simply capturing the story as it is. This movie is led by Anjini Taneja Azhar and Quinn Liebling. Azhar gives a stellar performance as Harper. She achieves a level of realism that is genuinely impressive. She fully understands the nuances of her character, her motivations, and all of the minor little details that make the character feel tangible. Liebling plays off of her really well. They have a very natural chemistry while also being able to create some palpable awkwardness. They are young, but they have already proven their abilities as actors with this movie. One of the film’s greatest virtues is how socially conscious and aware it is. Harper advocates for women’s rights throughout the film, and it’s a theme that doesn’t feel forced, but it does demonstrate a basic understanding of social context throughout the film. The movie never feels outdated or politically incorrect. It assesses today’s social climate and embeds it within the film in such an authentic way. It handles its more sensitive moments with immense care and brilliant execution. It functions as a schematic of what should be expected of movies about and aimed at teenagers.
This is a movie that will resonate most with those who were born after 2000, but it has a universal charm that is almost infectious. It’s the first movie I have seen that finds the awkward sweetness in gen Z culture rather than shamelessly exploiting it. Azhar and Liebling do an exceptional job at really highlighting all of the awkward encounters and cringing moments that are a part of our formative years. It’s a bittersweet feeling of relatability that really makes this film speak loud on a personal level. Like many films, it hits a brief lull in its second act, but the film mostly overcomes it. It juggles its many themes, conflicts, and shifts in tone fairly well. It avoids overused character archetypes in lieu of a more appropriate and accurate depiction of today’s teens. It’s a sweet and timeless movie that is heightened by its genuine script and realistic performances. Thunderbolt in Mine Eye is a great film from Zachary Ray Sherman and first-time director Sarah Sherman. It tells a familiar tale, but it presents it in a modern context for today’s generation. It’s a movie that will leave you feeling emotionally satisfied while also reminding you of your own experiences as a high schooler. Thunderbolt in Mine Eye debuted at the 2020 Slamdance Film Festival which ran January 23-30 in Park City, UT. Rating: 4/5 Review by Camden Ferrell A Dog’s Death is the first film from Matías Ganz. It is a noble first attempt from the promising Uruguayan director, but it’s a film that is heavily flawed. Despite a really intriguing set up, this movie doesn’t quite stick its landing and may leave viewers feeling underwhelmed. This movie follows a middle-aged, upper middle-class couple as they transition into a new part of their lives. Silvia is entering retirement while Mario is continuing his work as a veterinarian. After an unfortunate mistake occurs with a dog under his care, paranoia consumes both of them as they become more and more restless and impulsive in their lives. This is a really interesting premise that has a lot of potential for unique and unpredictable storytelling. Ganz does a phenomenal job in the first act of his film. He delivers a perfect set up for what could have been a thrilling conclusion. He has a mature understanding of timing and execution in these moments. He was able to create a restless atmosphere while also capturing some more mundane ennui and curiosity. He demonstrates an understanding of the fundamentals of filmmaking, and it definitely suggests strong potential. The acting in this movie is more or less agreeable. Guillermo Arengo does a solid job playing Mario. He is able to capture the persona of someone of his stature well while also portraying a unique blend of paranoia and passiveness. However, I believe Pelusa Vidal gives a great performance as Silvia. It’s interesting to see her go through the motions of retirement while also exhibiting similar symptoms of paranoia as her husband. The movie has glimmers of genius throughout. The way it raises the stakes and furthers its plot is really interesting, but its flaws come after those moments. It doesn’t follow up these great moments with what is expected, and it comes off as mildly underwhelming at times. There are some truly shocking moments in this movie that are nerve-wracking, but the movie doesn’t fully exploit its strongest characteristics.
It also feels slow considering the movie is under 90 minutes. Some scenes definitely last too long, and others feel completely unnecessary. A lot of its screen time is used on moments that are so long that the tension starts to falter. There was a lot of story to tell, and there was a lot of themes and ideas that could have used more exploration, but the movie didn’t seem to allocate its time to its fullest extent. Regardless, this movie is still fairly entertaining. It goes from violent to absurd in a matter of minutes, and this is more or less what the movie should have doubled down on. It’s engaging, and it keeps the audience guessing. It’s a great premise with some cool moments that should have been executed a little better. Ganz’s first feature suggests a bright future for a director who is still learning. It also can serve as an exercise in crafting a minimalist thriller. It has some great scenes but ultimately fails to deliver on the promise of its premise. A Dog’s Death played at the 2020 Slamdance Film Festival which ran January 23-30 in Park City, UT. Rating: 3/5 Review by Sarah Williams Close Quarters may dive closely within the struggles of toxic masculinity, but it is not enough to make the film feel like more than a poorly scored shouting match. Attempting to insert itself into the vein of a psychological/erotic thriller, the film falls flat emotionally, and is often dull. It's not to say our leads don't try — José Pescina and Paulina Gaitán give solid performances as spouses Manuel and Lupe. When Rubén (Jorge Jiminéz) takes a job under Manuel, he is looking to earn money to cross the US border, and Manuel happens to be struggling to have a child with his wife. It is suggested that Rubén takes over the pregnancy effort when Manuel is deemed infertile, but this has its own problems. The two men become friends as a way to help the other reach these goals, but aggression comes to prevail.
Each of the two men challenges the other’s masculinity. Manuel is softer and more emotional, while Rubén tries to fit the more traditionally ‘macho’ stereotype. However, these roles do little to affect the two men, who remain aggressive in their masculinity no matter what. Lupe is caught in the middle of these tensions as a sort of balancing force. While it is great to critique that toxic masculinity affects all men in some way, this is handled poorly. The film devolves into a bit of a yelling match that grows unfocused. It is meant to represent a balance between a man’s innate sensitive side, and the expected aggression, but the roles become too blurred for the contrast to come through. The film's music choices are often intensely distracting. Soaring anthems play over sex scenes, perhaps as a juxtaposition, but the effect ends up being comical and stale. The opening is nicely scored with gentler audio, but with much of the film being unscored, with long, quiet takes at times, these bursts of anthemic music are jarring. Even if it is meant to be a tonal shift told through the music, it is so oddly placed within the scene it almost feels like a ringtone going off in a theater. So much of the silence in the film feels deliberately affecting, so what is the point of the booming music interrupting intimacy? In terms of lighting, there is a direct choice made to avoid all sources of direct light. This grows to be a bit too diffused at times, and the shots flatten heavily. It is meant to induce melancholy, but these argument scenes, especially given the music choices, are supposed to be emotional outbursts instead of a slow, pulsing gloom. The performances are strong, garnered after rehearsals in a rented Airbnb over the course of two weeks. This brings a tension, a sort of over-containment, where the tensions almost seem to be natural strain. Fertility is so often a woman’s problem in film that it is refreshing to see infertility shown from a man’s perspective. By having Rubén, the more traditionally masculine of the two friends, as Manuel’s potential sperm donor, Manuel only feels more threatened and begins to lash out. He is already more emotional, and conscious of this, so he takes it as an even greater threat to his manhood. It is great to see male friendship portrayed onscreen, but by putting the two in competition, it only reinforces the idea that men must distance themselves from friends. Lupe is also heavily sidelined, put out of place by her husbands new bonds that she is often just there as the wife in the background, or even just a womb to fight over. Close Quarters debuted at the 2020 Slamdance Film Festival, which ran January 23-30 in Park City, UT. Rating: 2/5 Review by Sean Boelman Although it will likely come to be known as the “Harley Quinn movie”, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is so much more, but that may not be a good thing. At the same time a breakup movie, a discussion of feminism, a fish-out-of-water comedy, and a superhero flick, there is a lot going on in this script, and while director Cathy Yan’s attempts to bring them all together are admirable, it is disjointed to the point of feeling overwhelming. The film picks up long after the events of Suicide Squad with Harley Quinn and Joker now having broken up, sending Quinn on a quest of self-realization when her past comes back to haunt her. Ultimately, there isn’t a particularly strong plot in the first half of the movie, the narrative simply following Quinn as various figures (somewhat entertainingly) try to kill her. But when the main plot does kick in, it is a far too convoluted telling of conventional beats. Arguably the biggest issue with this film is that it tries too hard to be funny. The first twenty minutes are far more aggressive than the rest of the movie, artificially trying to hook the viewer with awkwardly-timed humor and over-the-top visual gags. Although there are some laughs to be found in this portion, the film is much more satisfying once it gets over these attempts to be tongue-in-cheek. The way in which the movie handles its characters is also questionable at times. Although there is a strong and positive feminist undertone in the film, it feels like more could have been done with some of the characters. One of the most frustrating things about the script is that it portrays Quinn as ditsy and sometimes even lacking in intelligence, even when the movie addresses her background as a brilliant psychiatrist. (L-r) MARY ELIZABETH WINSTEAD as Huntress, MARGOT ROBBIE as Harley Quinn, ROSIE PEREZ as Renee Montoya, ELLA JAY BASCO as Cassandra Cain and JURNEE SMOLLETT-BELL as Black Canary in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN),” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Claudette Barius & © DC Comics. That said, Robbie is charming as ever in her role as Quinn. She was the biggest standout in Suicide Squad, and now that she has gotten a movie of her own, she is able to prove just how great she is at commanding the screen. She is also surrounded by a wonderful supporting cast, the MVP of which is Ewan McGregor in what is arguably a career-best turn as the film’s antagonist. He chews the scenery, and is a ton of fun to watch every time he is on screen.
Additionally, the movie features some very impressive and creative action. Although the CGI is a bit lacking at times, the choreography for the fight scenes is excellent and creative. Yan brings a visual style to the film that feels both unique and reminiscent of a comic book, filled with vibrant colors and accompanied by an energetic soundtrack. This is particularly evident in the two main action sequences which are packed with energy. The movie isn’t a total slam dunk on a technical level, though. There are a handful of sequences that are overly chaotic or edited in a messy way. Granted, everything feels purposeful unlike Suicide Squad, which was simply haphazard, but an ambitious swing and a miss is arguably more disappointing than a safe but messy popcorn movie. There are a lot of great moments in Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), but it is sadly too convoluted for its own good. Still, this is very much a step in the right direction for the DC Extended Universe, as this and Shazam! prove that they are moving towards more standalone auteur-driven fare. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) opens in theaters on February 7. Rating: 2.5/5 Review by Sean Boelman Directed by Iain Morris (of The Inbetweeners fame), The Festival is a new raunchy buddy comedy set in the community of the music festival. Although the plot itself is rather generic and predictable, Morris has an undeniable talent with directing comedy, and the script by Keith Akushie and Joe Parham gives him plenty of great bits to use. The film follows a recent college graduate as he goes on a trip to a music festival hoping to get over a breakup, sending him and his best friend on a journey filled with ridiculous hijinks. The main plot of the movie, involving the two friends doing increasingly crazy stuff, is quite compelling. However, this ends up being weighed down by unnecessary subplots that don’t add much to the emotional arc of the film. The laughs of the movie come early and often, allowing the pacing to move along at a relatively consistent rate. That said, there is one portion of the film, in which the protagonist goes on a search for a mysterious woman he encountered, that is particularly conventional and drags the movie to a bit of a halt. Ultimately, the film is able to recover with a very funny sequence, but that portion does not work. A majority of the movie’s humor is of the raunchy variety, and so this film is not for anyone with a low tolerance for crudeness. From the first joke, it is immediately obvious that this movie is not going to be particularly highbrow, and while there are some moments in which the dialogue easily could have been much wittier, there are still plenty of laughs to be found. One of the reasons that the film ultimately works is that the relationship between the protagonist and his sidekick is so endearing. Admittedly, the movie doesn’t explore the nuances of this dynamic with much depth, but thanks to the chemistry between the two lead actors, Joe Thomas and Hammed Animashaun, the audience will at least be able to believe their friendship.
In addition to Thomas and Animashaun, the supporting cast contains plenty of memorable turns, ranging from bit parts to more significant roles. Comedian Claudia O’Doherty is hilarious in her role as the ditsy companion that the duo meets on their journey. Jemaine Clement has a smaller part, but his performance is still as fun as always. On a technical level, Morris does a good job of nailing the comedic timing of the script, but the film is otherwise lacking in visual style. At times, it feels like Morris is trying a bit too hard to be cool in regards to his approach to the music festival portions of the movie. These sequences look and feel like they came out of a music video, and that doesn’t exactly work within the context of the studio comedy it is. Iain Morris has delivered yet another entertaining comedy with The Festival, although one can’t help but feel like it is often shallow. There are plenty of laughs to be had in this film, but not as much depth of emotion as the filmmakers seem to hope. The Festival is now available on VOD. Rating: 3/5 |
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