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Review by Sean Boelman
Georges (Jean Dujardin) offering his camera to Denise (Adèle Haenel) - DEERSKIN - Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.
The newest film from French satirist Quentin Dupieux (Rubber) and arguably his most accessible yet, Deerskin nonetheless provides the darkly funny absurdism for which his work has come to be known. Bizarre but hysterical, it’s likely that some audiences are going to hate this, but it’s almost guaranteed to gain a cult following.
The movie follows a man who forms an obsession with his designer deerskin jacket, causing his behavior to become more and more erratic and eventually leading him into a life of crime. The blend of horror and comedy works brilliantly, offering what is effectively a tongue-in-cheek riff on slasher tropes. It is pretty clear that the commentary in the film revolves around materialism in society, and while it is very direct, that is part of what will allow the movie to appeal beyond Dupieux’s core audience. It’s both weird enough for the filmmaker’s fanbase and obvious enough to be a hit among the midnight movie crowd. One of the main things working in the film’s favor is its brief runtime. As is usual with most of Dupieux’s work, the movie is centered around a rather one-note premise, but in this case, the joke never feels worn out. The first half does an excellent job of drawing the viewer into the world of the film only for the latter portion to go absolutely nuts. 
Georges (Jean Dujardin) and his jacket - DEERSKIN - Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.
The character development is definitely one of the most intriguing things about the script. The two lead human characters in the movie are both compelling, but the more unique portion of the film explores the jacket as a character. It’s a fascinating and hilarious symbol for the obsession that people have with symbols of status.
Oscar-winning actor Jean Dujardin is riotous in his lead role, obviously having a lot of fun in the role. He plays it in an over-the-top way that perfectly encapsulates the genre feel for which Dupieux is aiming. Supporting actress Adéle Haenel (Portrait of a Lady on Fire) is also great as expected, having great chemistry with Djuardin. Dupieux shot the movie on digital, and it gives it a crisp and stylish feel. The film is surprisingly gorgeous to look at, capturing a very retro look despite the modern technology it uses. Additionally, some of the footage in the movie is designed to replicate home video-style snuff footage, and it’s equally horrifying and humorous. Quentin Dupieux’s Deerskin is going to be divisive as always for the filmmaker, but it’s still much more approachable than most of his work. It’s a smart midnight movie that’s also a ton of fun to watch, and that’s exactly what fans of the genre will want. Deerskin screens online in partnership with indie theaters beginning May 1. A list of participating locations can be found here. Rating: 4.5/5
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Review by Sean Boelman
The narrative debut of Guatemalan director César Díaz (who worked as editor on acclaimed films from the country such as Ixcanul), Our Mothers is a dense and riveting drama. An intensely personal evaluation of the consequences of war, this movie tackles a little-discussed but urgent issue.
Set in the aftermath of the civil war in Guatemala, the film follows a cultural anthropologist who is tasked with finding and identifying the missing and dead to present evidence in genocide trials, when a case comes across his desk that may have a connection to his own lost father. Even though the movie presents itself under the guise of a procedural drama, it is actually a harrowing character study. There are plenty of films that explore the consequences of some of the bigger wars that dominate history books, but few that address these comparatively localized conflicts that have just as significant of an impact on their people. Díaz’s message with this movie is that war, in any situation, has a human consequence. Díaz does a very good job of building his characters in a compelling way. The protagonist’s arc is simple but effective, tapping into the emotions about parents that unite us all. However, perhaps more interesting is what Díaz does with his supporting characters, which represent the voice of Guatemala as a whole. 
Although the film’s short runtime does prevent it from ever meandering, it also holds it back from having the depth with which it could have explored some of the individual stories in more depth. The single most impactful moment in the movie is a testimony given by a woman who lost her loved one to the war, and it would have been impactful to see more of this.
The actors all do a very good job in their roles. Lead actors Armando Espitia and Emma Dib are both professionals, and they bring a lot of emotion to their characters. What is more interesting, though, is that Díaz used nonprofessional actors for his background roles. This gives the film an even greater feeling of authenticity. On a technical level, Díaz’s movie is simple, but effective. There are some gorgeous shots, but the focus of the film is not on the visuals, but rather, the core emotion of the script. Minimal cuts and long takes allow the movie to have slow yet deliberate pacing that goes a long way in making the story hit harder. Our Mothers isn’t a perfect movie, but as its director’s narrative debut, it shows a lot of promise. This is certainly one of the most emotionally affecting films audiences will see this year, and that is thanks to Díaz’s unique perspective. Our Mothers screens online in partnership with indie theaters beginning May 1. A list of participating locations can be found here. Rating: 4/5
Review by Sean Boelman
The feature debut of writer-director Yuval Hadadi, 15 Years is a new drama dealing with LGBT identity in the conservative Israeli community. Thought-provoking and emotional, Hadadi’s film is a humble one, but its lean and simple nature is inarguably a large part of what makes it so effective.
The movie follows a man whose life starts to implode after his best friend becomes pregnant without his knowledge and his long-time boyfriend begins to discuss the prospect of having kids, bringing him to question his own identity and desires. Yes, it’s a melodrama, but it’s told from such a place of sincerity that it never feels maudlin or excessive. Viewers will undeniably be drawn in by the film’s slow-burn pacing. Even though this is a very small-scale and personal story, it is presented almost as if it’s a thriller. The stakes for the conflict are established early on and the potential consequences of the conflict feel legitimate, allowing this tension to build up and be sustained. Part of what makes this suspense work so well is that the main character’s arc is so easy to buy into. The protagonist is very dynamic and compelling, the relatability of his emotion being one of the movie’s main focuses. It’s not an easy film to watch — the character is dealing with some very difficult things in his life that tie directly into some important societal issues — but it is sure to be enlightening for anyone who has gone through something similar themselves. 
The movie explores the idea of desire in a way that hasn’t been done quite so successfully before. The main emotional conflict in the film involves the character trying to cope with his past that has shaped his own wishes. It’s not particularly new ground, but Hadadi’s perspective on the issue is so fresh that it feels unique and telling.
Oded Leopold gives a commanding performance in his leading role. It’s impossible to take your eyes off of him because his performance is dripping with so much authenticity and passion. He’s charming but not too charismatic and intimidating but not quite scary, hitting that sweet spot of ambiguity that is needed for the movie to work. Also impressive is Hadadi’s style that he brings to the film, as it allows the viewer to be completely immersed in the conflict. The cinematography is hypnotic, refusing to ease its grip on the viewer. The aggressive but affecting score also goes a long way in building the atmosphere of the movie. 15 Years may seem like an unlikely candidate to be an affecting drama, but interesting execution allows the film to stand out. It’s definitely a refreshing surprise to see an indie as interesting as this. 15 Years hits VOD on April 28. Rating: 4.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Written, directed by, and starring Will Dennis, Vanilla is a new road comedy with some impressively insightful themes. Despite a bit of a rocky and conventional start, it eventually becomes apparent that Dennis has more to say with his film, and as a result, it’s a refreshing and enjoyable watch.
The movie follows two strangers who agree to go on a cross-country road trip together to sell a van in an attempt to raise money to save one of their family businesses. The road trip stuff here is charming if mostly unexceptional, but it is the additional layers of depth that Dennis adds in the form of subplots that makes the film stand out. What starts out seeming like a relatively standard romance instead reveals itself to be a surprisingly nuanced look at relationship culture in the modern world. It admittedly takes the movie quite a while to get to the place where it is going, but once it does, it comes from a place of sincerity and honesty that is pretty exceptional for an indie comedy like this. The most interesting part of the film is its commentary on the gig economy, with a particular focus on a controversial kind of work. It seems that this type of work is becoming more and more common in this cyber-connected world, and this movie is coming out at a point that couldn’t be more timely. 
After one suspends the disbelief of two people who just met agreeing to go on a road trip together, the dynamic between the two characters is actually quite good. This isn’t some saccharine romantic comedy of love at first sight — it’s an honest look at the state of love and romance today.
Dennis and Kelsea Bauman have great chemistry together and are a large part of the film’s narrative momentum. Bauman in particular shows a great deal of talent and potential as a comedic lead, hitting the humorous beats perfectly. Eddie Alfan is also quite good in his brief but funny supporting role. On a technical level, the movie does leave a bit to be desired, but the script is so strong that it almost doesn’t matter. Travelogues are typically well-known for featuring some gorgeous (or at least appealing) cinematography of the locations in which it is set, but that is noticeably missing here. The setting seems less like a part of the film and more like a narrative obligation, which is disappointing. Vanilla admittedly doesn’t get off to the strongest start, but once it finds its footing, it’s an admirably insightful dramedy. It would have been nice had the first half been trimmed in favor of an expanded second half, but it’s solid nevertheless. Vanilla hits VOD on April 28. Rating: 3.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Thomas Piketty, author of Capital in the Twenty-First Century, courtesy Kino Lorber.
Based on the bestselling nonfiction book by economist Thomas Piketty, Capital in the Twenty-First Century is a new documentary exploring the idea of power in society. However, despite the wealth of interesting ideas Piketty brings to the table, this topic is simply too big to be contained in a single film.
The movie’s main purpose is to investigate the role of wealth throughout history and in the modern world and link it to the divisions in class that are still dominant today. However, many of the arguments made in the film are relatively self-explanatory, and as a result, it doesn’t have the eye-opening effect for which its source material has become so famous. Director Justin Pemberton structures his movie around a series of case studies spanning a long period of time, hoping to draw a comparison between what happened in the past and what is happening now. This is perhaps the film’s most successful point: that society urgently needs to learn from the mistakes made in the past and enact a drastic course-correction. It is when the movie gets into its discussion of class relations that it starts to feel like something is missing from the discussion. This is one of the most important social issues today, and while there are some really good points made, they are spread through a bunch of material that has been argued more effectively by other sources. 
A still from Capital in the Twenty-First Century, courtesy Kino Lorber.
Perhaps the film’s biggest blindspot is that all of its interviews are conducted with notable economists, many of whom are of the upper class. While this expert knowledge is essential for a well-measured case, the fact that the perspectives highlighted in the movie are well-off makes it come across as a lot more distant than it otherwise would.
One of the biggest disappointments about the film is that it doesn’t take full advantage of the resource that is Piketty. He does a handful of interviews for the movie, but given his connection with the material, it’s disappointing that he wasn’t more of a commanding voice, or even the narrator. On a technical level, Pemberton brings a lot of style to the film, and while the cool soundtrack and sleek visuals are able to make it more accessible to general audiences, this technique can feel like pandering at times. For example, the use of a clip from 2012’s Les Miserables to explain an already understandable point shows Pemberton’s occasional excess. Capital in the Twenty-First Century desperately wants to be revelatory, but it only offers momentary insight. More often than not, it feels like little more than a feature-length advertisement for Piketty’s book, which almost undoubtedly contains the more developed arguments. Capital in the Twenty-First Century begins streaming in partnership with indie theaters on May 1. A list of participating locations can be found here. Rating: 2.5/5 |