I know–another post in the same week. Knock you over with a feather, right?
On the cusp of the new year, I signed up with Film Festival Flicks
to review indie movies. I had to do it quick, despite a few New Year’s Eve adult beverages. Like three, okay. Don’t judge. I got in just before the free cut off ended at midnight. Yay me! I agreed to watch the movies and post reviews on my social media accounts.
I love movies. And I love indie. I’m an indie author. I love that it’s easier than ever to get creative works out into the world by only pluck, hard work and a few (or more) dollars. Knowing somebody helps, too, I’m told.
If my review arouses interest in the movie, click on the link to my Film Festival Flix page at the end of the review. If you buy it from there, I get paid a little. I don’t know how much. I’m not expecting to get rich. Besides getting to watch free movies, maybe I’ll get some good indie karma for book sales. Woo Hoo!
Face to Face (2011)
Things happen for a reason…and a reason…and a reason…
Wayne is a young man with anger issues which lead him to being fired from a job he loves. His reaction results in legal woes. Since it’s his first offense, instead of court the parties involved agree to a community conference to arrive at a resolution with the help a mediator. As the process unfolds in this psychological drama from Down Under, we realize that the inciting incident is only the tip of a twisted, emotional iceberg.
I would imagine putting ten actors in a room with little to do but sit, talk and listen is a challenge to direct in something as long as a feature film. But the director and cast rise to the occasion, building tension as layers are pulled away revealing past and present relationships and secrets that ripple—or crash—into the lives of each of the characters.
While the actors aren’t household names by American standards, many have impressive cred in Australia. Vince Colosimo—who stars as Greg Baldoni, the injured party—is very busy in TV and film on the Kangaroo Continent. You might have seen him in The Great Gatsby, Body of Lies, Daybreakers or Sparticus: War of the Damned. Luke Ford, who plays Wayne Travers on whom the story revolves, appeared in the 2010’s much-awarded Animal Kingdom, among numerous other films and TV series.
Michael Rymer, the director, in the mid-2000s was busy with producing and directing Battlestar Gallactica. Recently he has directed for Longmire, American Horror Story and The Killing. Some features to his directing credit are Perfume and Queen of the Damned.
Face to Face, written and directed by Rymer, is based on the play by Aussie David Williamson who took notes from real conflict resolution conferences. Rymer used judiciously placed scenes set outside the time and place of the main story to relieve the tedium that can result from a contained and add depth to the complex storyline. These, plus the energy of the cast, keep the film flowing at a steady pace, but not fast enough that the audience can’t absorb the emotional effects of personal choices.
I questioned the plausibility of the story’s resolution, but then remembered it’s not American. I don’t want to give it away, but let me know what you think of the ending.
When you’re in the mood for clean (well, a few f-words, if I remember correctly, I can’t find an American rating on it) intelligent drama, click here for Face to Face.
My rating: ****/*****