Boyd Holbrook turns in an excellent performance as Mo Lundy, a former convict who spends time in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. The details surrounding the accused crime aren’t important, which is why first-time filmmaker Jason Lew doesn’t bother divulging them. Instead, The Free World concentrates on the struggles of adapting to life outside the prison walls. Lew constructs the film with as a subdued indie noir, but the results are surprisingly potent due to an electric third act.

Now a free man, Mo works at an animal shelter appropriately called Second Hope. The transition into the free world is challenging for Mo, who finds it easier to sleep in his closet than in a bed. Even though he keeps to himself and doesn’t cause trouble, the local police still treat him like a criminal. While on duty one night, a woman (Elisabeth Moss) finds her way into the shelter and passes out covered in blood. Over time, the two get to know one another and discover how similar they are to each other.

The Free World manages to take simple material and elevate it through artful cinematography and terrific performances (Holbrook especially). While there are some tonal quirks—like an out-of-place car chase scene near the end—the film remains an impressive debut from Lew who, at the very least, shows promise as an upcoming filmmaker.

Rating:
7/10

The state of independent, hard journalism hangs in the balance in Truth, a docudrama about the pivotal 2004 60 Minutes report in which veteran broadcaster Dan Rather called into question the validity of then-President George W. Bush’s military past. Based on the memoir by former 60 Minutes producer Mary Mapes, the film trumpets the heroism of journalists not afraid to ask any question necessary to get to the almighty truth. Writer and first-time director James Vanderbilt‘s messaging is heavy-handed to say the least (the script is full of loud monologues about journalistic integrity), but the humanistic layers of the story engage on a deeper level, with subtle, powerful character moments counter-balancing the bursts of righteous melodrama.

At the heart of the film is the relationship between Mapes (Cate Blanchett) and Rather (Robert Redford), who together broke the Bush story on CBS News. During their September 8, 2004 episode of 60 Minutes, they presented memos that indicated Bush may have pulled some strings in order to avoid the draft and falsified documents regarding his tenure at the Texas Air National Guard. In no time, right-wing media and bloggers offered up evidence that Bush’s record was legitimate, and that the documents uncovered by the 60 Minutes team were, in fact, fakes. Following a firestorm of controversy, Mapes, Rather and their team went down with their ship, losing their jobs at CBS News in a move that changed the complexion of modern news reporting.

The tragedy, according to Truth, isn’t that two of the most accomplished journalists in the field were fired, but that their original question about Bush’s records got swept aside so quickly. CBS’ media competitors spent an ungodly amount of time and resources covering the controversy surrounding Mapes and Rather and whether or not they were duped by their sources, time and resources that could have been better spent supporting the original question about the President committing fraudulence. Mapes and Rather are icons of old media, and their dismissal signaled the end of a more level-headed era of journalism when figures of power were forced to answer real questions face-to-face with someone like Rather, who at one time had the public’s full trust.

The most gripping aspect of the story revolves not around mass media, however, but Mapes and Rather, old friends who have a quasi father-daughter relationship (subtly expressed by Vanderbilt). As we learn, Mapes was reprimanded by her father for asking questions when she was young. In Rather, she finds a mentor who asks questions with her, a last-of-a-dying-breed confidant for whom she has bottomless admiration. Whenever Mary starts breaking down under pressure, Dan soothes her with his unflappable calmness and deliberately timed jabs of self-deprecation.

The casting of both Redford and Blanchett is excellent; they’re capturing the essence of their real-world counterparts rather than doing a shallow imitation. It comes as no surprise that the veteran actors are magic together, but the supporting get short-changed a bit. Filling out the rest of the 60 Minutes team are military consultant Lt. Colonel Roger Charles (Dennis Quaid) and researchers Lucy Scott (Elizabeth Moss) and Mike Smith (Topher Grace). It hurts a little to watch these three sit so far in the background (Grace goes for broke in his one showcase scene) though it’s understandable that Vanderbilt keeps the focus on Mapes.

The assignment of blame with regards to the scandal is a tricky thing since no party handled every situation properly. While Truth is clearly going to see Mapes’ side of the story the most clearly, the film does acknowledge the mistakes she and her team made in collecting evidence to back up their claims. The suits at CBS, who many believe should have stood by their people, aren’t painted as villains though it’s made very clear that their decision to fire the 60 Minutes team stood on the wrong side of journalism history.

In his first feature, Vanderbilt exhibits little style, though he does respect how priceless Redford and Blanchett look on-screen. At its most heavy-handed, the script is actually pretty cringeworthy. The film alludes to the connection between Mapes’ abusive father and the abusive media monster too heavily, to the point where she actually says she and her news team are being “smacked down” for asking honest questions. The symbolism would’ve rung true without all the underscoring.

Something we’ve seldom seen in movies is the chaotic hustle of a TV news production, something Truth depicts thrillingly. We see the Mapes team, just minutes prior to their deadline to turn in their Bush piece, gathered in the editing room, agonizing over what to cut to meet their required runtime. In the last moment, Mapes makes quick edits with a few flicks of the wrist and the show is ready to go. Frantic moments like these make Truth feel urgent and alive and incredibly entertaining. Were it not for the on-the-nose dramatic outbursts that throw everything out of whack, this might have been the best newsroom drama in years.

Reed Morano, a successful cinematographer, takes her first shot at directing with Meadowland. And it may be because she’s so cinematically inclined, or perhaps she has a dark side the public is getting a taste of here, but she’s chosen some truly heavy material from Chris Rossi (also his first) to kickstart her directorial career. Granted, drama makes for plenty of opportunity to play with the camera, and she certainly does, providing dreamy, close-up, mood all over the place. And it may be because she usually only has control of the camerawork of a film that she felt so inclined to rev up the other sensory experiences of the film to maximum intensity.

The film is about Sarah and Phil (Olivia Wilde and Luke Wilson) who, at the film’s outset, are struck the heavy blow of having their only son kidnapped. Flash forward a year and Phil is back at work as a cop, dealing with his grief with the occasional support group meeting and lunches with a friend who lost his daughter (John Leguizamo). Sarah, on the other hand, stays fairly numb with the help of lithium, barely passing for a teacher at the grade school she teaches at. Clearly these two have chosen the grieve alone path, Sarah often wandering around Times Square late at night, not necessarily searching so much as distracting herself, and Phil parking outside the gas station where their son disappeared as though he may wander back in the dead of night.

The detective on their case presents some new evidence that suggests what neither, though Sarah especially, want to hear. In her own misguided attempt to avoid reality she goes to cringe-worthy extremes leading to a belligerent and uncomfortable end. Grief manifests differently for everyone, especially in the circumstance of a cold case where the absence of concrete evidence doesn’t allow for proper grief, but Sarah’s self-destruction is especially difficult to watch. Morano also makes it quite hard to listen to. The music and sound design of the film are pumped up so high at parts it hurts. What’s meant to be a distraction tactic for the characters is just plain wearisome for the viewer.

Calling the film a bummer is an understatement. Wilde is convincingly inconsolable—and a bit crazy—in what is clearly meant to be a showcase of her talent, but in the hands of Morano, we’re rather hit in the head with it repeatedly. Wilson is of course the easier to sympathize with, those trademark Wilson puppy dog eyes playing to his advantage, but Rossi could have written Phil with more backbone to counter Sarah’s intensity better. As is, the two don’t have much in the way of chemistry, or even a believable animosity befitting their situation. They are more like two characters sharing the same story by chance.

Rossi wrote a script exploring the most gruesome depths of repressed grief, Morano certainly pulled it out of the actors and added further intensity with her blurry focus and pore-revealing intimacy in almost every scene, throw in the ear-assault and too-serious actions of the characters and it stops being insightful and starts being a bit scary. The film does a full stop at the very end, attempting to bring the mood back up with a slipshod scene that feels so much like a therapy session it’s laughable. Sorry Morano, you can’t assail viewers for 90 minutes and not expect them to be numb by the end to any ploy at pulling at heartstrings. Like Rossi’s characters, we can’t help but follow their lead and remain neatly anesthetized.

Originally published as part of our 2015 Tribeca Film Festival coverage.

Adapted from J.G. Ballard’s novel by Amy Jump, High-Rise is yet another interesting if not entirely successful experiment by Ben Wheatley. Taking place in mid-70s England, Doctor Laing (Tom Hiddleston) moves into the massive titular building to find a social system that’s gradually taking over the sanity of every resident. The middle to lower-class tenants stay on the lower floors, while the building’s architect (Jeremy Irons) and his ultra high-class friends party it up on the top. Eventually the power starts failing, and the rich begin diverting the supply to their floors so they can keep partying it up. The lower floors begin revolting, but it might be better to describe it as a tit for tat, since they start holding their own debaucherous parties while planning a way to get to the top. Social and class lines begin to blur, and by the end High-Rise is a look at a microcosm of a world gone mad.

Wheatley’s goal with directing the film might have gone a little too far here; the film itself feels just as deranged, messy and incomprehensible as its characters, mostly hopping all around and having characters not so much interact as periodically collide with their own separate orbits. It sounds great in theory, except Wheatley spends little to no time establishing why any of what’s going on is worth investing in. It’s like Wheatley expects people to simply leap in because he has people like Hiddleston, Irons, Elisabeth Moss and Luke Evans going wacko, and that’s just not enough to give a single damn about anything going on. This is by far Wheatley’s best-looking film to date, and his ear for great soundtracks is stronger than ever (Clint Mansell provides a great score, and Portishead’s cover of Abba’s “SOS” is the sort of thing I never knew I needed in my life). It’s just a shame that, in Wheatley’s attempt to go down the rabbit hole, he forgot to take viewers with him.

Recently, the staff here at Way Too Indie put together a list of independent films we thought Alfred Hitchcock might have made if The Master of Suspense had come up in the Kickstarter Era. There were some great choices, including Mulholland Dr. and Stoker, while my pick was The Usual Suspects. It’s too bad that assignment came before I had the chance to screen Queen of Earth. The psychological drama not only invokes Hitch, it screams Hitch.

Catherine (Elisabeth Moss) is a young woman on the ropes, having recently lost her father and been dumped by her boyfriend. Reeling from these impactful events, she looks to get away from it all by spending a week with Ginny (Katherine Waterston), an old and dear friend whose parents have a gorgeous and secluded lakeside vacation home. The retreat, however, proves less than helpful. Memories of happier times at the vacation home—times when Catherine’s (now-ex) boyfriend James (Kentucker Audley) was also a guest—surface to wrack Catherine’s conscience. Agitating things further are Ginny’s passive/aggressive behavior towards Catherine and the perpetual presence of Ginny’s neighbor/plaything Rich (Patrick Fugit), who takes a peculiar antagonistic approach when dealing with Catherine. Difficult memories and constant defensiveness take a grinding toll on Catherine’s already frail psyche, driving her deeper into despair and paranoia.

Queen of Earth is far more than just an exercise in observing one woman’s psyche slowly unravel, although it’s certainly that. The film opens at Catherine’s emotional Ground Zero; dismissed by a cheating boyfriend while reeling from the loss of her father. Writer/director Alex Ross Perry’s extreme close-ups on Moss are startling, revealing bloodshot eyes and a reddened nose and makeup ruined beyond repair, all from a recent (and clearly heavy) crying jag.

From here, Perry avoids the worn path of a woman making bad decisions while in an emotional fog. He also avoids presenting a woman who attempts to find herself after a lifetime of being defined by men. Instead, the filmmaker skillfully presents Catherine’s gradual decline within the framework of a larger, but quite intricate, story about friendship and the wages of the sin of pride. The relationship between Catherine and Ginny is strong and certainly has positive roots, but there is something more going on between them.

In addition to a terrific story, the film has many technical strengths, beginning with pop-up flashbacks that vanish almost as quickly as they appear. These brief scenes are critical to establishing the story’s foundation, even as it builds upon itself. It isn’t necessarily parallel storytelling, more a form of context to the present-day action. With masterful editing by Robert Greene and Peter Levinto, these flashbacks take the story between present day and about a year prior. It’s an unsettling technique, but it’s through these glimpses into the past—moments seen through both Catherine and Ginny’s eyes—that we’re allowed a comparison and contrast of how the two friends have changed in a year, and how their core attitudes have not.

Gloriously filmed in 16mm by cinematographer Sean Price Williams and set to a bare, haunting score by Keegan DeWitt, Queen of Earth channels the psychological dramas of the ’60s and ’70s, right down to spot-on title cards in soft pink cursive that mark each day that passes in the week-long story.

The presentation and aesthetics of the film fire on all cylinders, and at the heart of the film is a pair of performances simultaneously different yet complementary. Both are so very good.

As Catherine, Moss is turned loose, her confidence as an actress affording her the luxury of fearlessness. She manages the varying aspects of Catherine expertly, playing a woman freshly scorned and wearing every emotion on her tear-drenched sleeve; playing coy but paranoid conducting mysterious phone calls at random times during the day; and at other times a socially awkward introvert disarmed by an unexpected party. Moss delivers in amazing ways. Conversely, Waterston, as Ginny, is incredibly restrained. Her calm hostess to Moss’s unhinged basket case is at all times cool, almost aloof, with something of a sinister passive/aggressive treatment of Catherine that is captivating.

The tale ends with a devilish ending. To say more would be criminal, but I will add that a second watch of the film—with a full understanding of the ending—is highly recommended, providing a chance to catch the little clues that may be missed during a first watch.

What makes Queen of Earth so Hitchcockian isn’t Catherine’s plummet into madness, but rather how her spiral starts and how it accelerates. Setting it within the company of friends and against a placid backdrop reminds me of something Hitch would do as well, as comfortable surroundings only make the discomfort of psychological drama that much more uncomfortable. As for the roots of Catherine’s madness, I won’t say they are MacGuffins, but the loss of her father and end of a romance are clearly little more than starting points for something much more subtle and far more interesting.

Today came as a bit of a surprise for TIFF fans, as the festival unveiled twelve selections for its brand new programme Platform. For years, the Toronto International Film Festival has put its emphasis on audiences, as the fest’s major awards were based on votes by audience members. This year, for their 40th anniversary, TIFF has changed gears, introducing a new programme that will be overseen by a three-member jury. And for its first year, TIFF has started things off with a bang: the jury will comprise of filmmakers Claire Denis, Jia Zhang-Ke, and Agnieszka Holland. Piers Handling, director and CEO of TIFF, describes the 12 filmmakers selected for Platform as “the next generation of masters whose personal vision will captivate audiences, industry members and media from around the world.” And to make things more interesting, at the end of the festival the jury will give a $25,000 prize to the winning film.

Based on that description, and looking at the selection, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that some of these names might fly over the heads of some people (but hey, the purpose of this programme is to help establish these directors as the new generation of major filmmakers). But some big films did find their way into Platform, with the biggest of all being Ben Wheatley’s High-Rise, which has a huge cast including Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons and Elisabeth Moss. Other notable films include new works by Argentinian director Pablo Trapero (Carancho, White Elephant) and Canadian documentarian Alan Zweig (Vinyl). We’ll obviously be looking forward to Wheatley’s latest effort here, as he’s an indie filmmaker we’ve all been quite fond of ever since his debut Down Terrace, but we’re looking forward to seeing what new and/or underappreciated talent TIFF showcases with this new programme.

Read on below for more information on the twelve films selected for Platform. The Toronto International Film Festival will run from September 10th to 20th in Toronto, Canada. And be sure to come back to Way Too Indie over the next few weeks leading up to and during the fest, as we have plenty of coverage coming your way.

Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story)
Eva Husson, France (World Premiere)
Biarritz. Sixteen-year-old George, a beautiful high-school student, falls in love with Alex. To get his attention, she initiates a group game with Alex, Nikita, Laetitia and Gabriel during which they will discover, test, and push the limits of their sexuality. Through scandals, love and the breakdown of their value systems, each of them manages this intense period in radically different ways. Starring Daisy Broom, Fred Hotier, Lorenzo Lefebvre, Marilyn Lima, and Finnegan Oldfield.

The Clan (El Clan)
Pablo Trapero, Argentina/Spain (North American Premiere)
Within a typical family home in the traditional neighbourhood of San Isidro, a sinister clan makes its living off kidnapping and murder. Arquímedes, the patriarch, heads and plans the operations. Alejandro, his eldest son, is a star rugby player who gives into his father’s will and identifies possible candidates for kidnapping. To a greater or lesser extent, the members of the family are accomplices in this dreadful venture as they live off the benefits yielded by the large ransoms paid by the families of their victims. Based on the true story of the Puccio family, this film full of suspense and intrigue takes place in the context of the final years of the Argentine military dictatorship and incipient return to democracy. Starring Guillermo Francella and Peter Lanzani.

French Blood (Un Français)
Diastème, France (International Premiere)
This is the story of a Frenchman, born in 1965 on the outskirts of Paris. The story of a skinhead, who hates Arabs, Jews, blacks, communists and gays. An anger that will take 30 years to die out. A bastard, who will take 30 years to become someone else. And he will never forgive himself for it. Starring Alban Lenoir, Paul Hamy, Samuel Jouy and Patrick Pineau.

Full Contact
David Verbeek, Netherlands/Croatia (World Premiere)
A contemporary tale of a man who accidentally bombed a school through a remotely operated drone plane. Modern warfare keeps Ivan safe and disconnected from his prey. But after this incident, this disconnectedness starts to apply to everything in his life. He is unable to process his overwhelming feelings of guilt, but needs to open up to his new love Cindy. Only by facing his victims can he rediscover his humanity and find a new purpose in life. Starring Grégoire Colin, Lizzie Brocheré and Slimane Dazi.

High-Rise
Ben Wheatley, United Kingdom (World Premiere)
1975. Two miles west of London, Dr. Laing moves into his new apartment seeking soulless anonymity, only to find that the building’s residents have no intention of leaving him alone. Resigned to the complex social dynamics unfolding around him, Laing bites the bullet and becomes neighbourly. As he struggles to establish his position, Laing’s good manners and sanity disintegrate along with the building. The lights go out and the elevators fail but the party goes on. People are the problem. Booze is the currency. Sex is the panacea. Starring Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans and Elisabeth Moss.

HURT
Alan Zweig, Canada (World Premiere)
Steve Fonyo is a one-legged cancer survivor who completed a cross-Canada run raising $13 million in 1985. The next 30 years were straight downhill: petty theft, larceny and drug addiction. The run has nothing to do with the life of this one-time hero, and everything to do with it. Starring Steve Fonyo.

Land of Mine (Under Sandet / Unter dem Sand)
Martin Zandvliet, Denmark/Germany (World Premiere)
A story never told before. WWII has ended. A group of German POWs captured by the Danish army, boys rather than men, are forced into a new kind of service under the command of a brusque Danish Sergeant. Risking life and limbs, the boys discover that the war is far from over. Starring Roland Møller, Louis Hofmann, Joel Basman, Emil Buschow, Oskar Buschow and Mikkel Boe Følsgaard.

Looking for Grace
Sue Brooks, Australia (North American Premiere)
Grace, 16, runs away from home. Her parents, Dan and Denise, head off on the road across the Western Australian wheat belt with a retired detective, Norris, to try and get her back. But life unravels faster than they can put it back together. Grace, Dan and Denise learn that life is confusing and arbitrary, but wonderful. Starring Richard Roxburgh, Radha Mitchell, Odessa Young and Terry Norris.

Neon Bull (Boi Neon)
Gabriel Mascaro, Brazil/Uruguay/Netherlands (North American Premiere)
Iremar and his makeshift family travel through Northeast Brazil taking care of bulls at the Vaquejadas, a Brazilian rodeo. But the region’s booming clothing industry has stirred new ambitions and filled Iremar’s mind with dreams of pattern-cutting and exquisite fabrics. Starring Juliano Cazarré, Aline Santana, Carlos Pessoa and Maeve Jinkings.

The Promised Land (Hui Dao Bei Ai De Mei Yi Tian)
He Ping, China (World Premiere)
Ai Ling, growing up in a small town, loses her fiancé Jiang He in Beijing. After returning to her hometown with a broken heart, she has to face all the complications life and love have in store for her. Starring Jiajia Wang, Yi Zhang, and Zhiwen Wang.

Sky
Fabienne Berthaud, France/Germany (World Premiere)
Romy is on holiday in the USA with her French husband, but the journey quickly turns into a settling of old scores for this worn out couple. After a huge argument, Romy decides to break free. She cuts her ties to a stable and secure life that has become alienating and escapes to the unknown. Drifting through a noisy Las Vegas to the wondrous high desert, she goes on with her solitary journey, abandoning herself to her sole intuitions and making it up as she goes. Liberated, she will cross paths with a charismatic and solitary man, with whom she’ll share an inconceivable but pure love. Starring Diane Kruger, Norman Reedus, Gilles Lellouche, Lena Dunham and Q’orianka Kilcher.

The White Knights (Les Chevaliers Blancs)
Joachim Lafosse, France/Belgium (World Premiere)
Critically acclaimed Joachim Lafosse brings to the screen the Zoe’s Ark controversy which made headlines in 2007: a story about the limits of the right of interference. Jacques Arnault, head of Sud Secours NGO, is planning a high impact operation: he and his team are going to exfiltrate 300 orphans, victims of Chadian civil war and bring them to French adoption applicants. Françoise Dubois, a journalist, is invited to come along with them and handle the media coverage for this operation. Completely immersed in the brutal reality of a country at war, the NGO members start losing their convictions and are faced with the limits of humanitarian intervention. Starring Vincent Lindon, Valérie Donzelli, Reda Kateb, Louise Bourgoin and Rougalta Bintou Saleh.

In Alex Ross Perry’s follow up to The Color Wheel, the writer/director introduces us to author Philip Lewis Friedman as he angrily awaits the release of his 2nd book. Only steps behind Perry’s chaotic handheld camera movements, Jason Schwartzman as Philip stomps down New York City sidewalks, first meeting an ex-girlfriend to rub his newfound success in her face, then storming into his publisher’s office to declare he no longer intends to do any media promotion for the book. The repercussions are minimal for this malignant narcissist, the subject of the upcoming comedy Listen Up Philip; however, over time the film shows how Philip’s egotism causes his relationships to sour.

Accusations and quick-witted comebacks are dolled out swiftly in refreshingly intelligent repartee. The wit in Perry’s script allows for some revealing conversations to take place between close family and lovers. His commentary on how selfishness fares in relationships is made more intriguing by a collection of humorous performances. Supporting players Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce, Joséphine de La Baume and Krysten Ritter are able to take characters are loosely characterized and make them feel specific. The shining performance comes from Schwartzman, whose most searing lines are delivered with an unsettling but hilarious casualness.

Listen Up Philip meanders a bit for the middle section of the film, but it’s largely hysterical and insightful. It plays the New York Film Festival this week before a limited release on October 17th.

Writer/Director Alex Ross Perry‘s follow-up to his micro-budget feature The Color Wheel, Listen Up Philip now has released a new trailer ahead of its upcoming appearances on the fall film festival circuit. Strong reviews of the film and Perry’s previous work helped make Listen Up Philip one of Way Too Indie’s choices for our Essential Fall Films list. Starring Jason Schwartzman as the titular Philip, the movie tracks the narcissistic author as he awaits the publication of his second novel.

The trailer features little of the Rushmore star, instead focusing on the people in Philip’s life and their predominantly antagonistic words for him. Elisabeth Moss co-stars as Philip’s photographer girlfriend Ashley, stating in the teaser, “honestly sometimes you’re impossible to live with.” The cast also includes Krysten Ritter, Jess Weixler, Joséphine de La Baume and Jonathan Pryce.

After premiering at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Listen Up Philip makes its Brazilian, Canadian, and British debuts at the Rio de Janiero International Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, and London Film Festival, respectively. It will also play the New York Film Festival before its upcoming limited release, scheduled for October 17th. The movie will also be available through iTunes on October 21st.

First trailer for Listen Up Philip

Let me first start out by saying that this review contains some spoilers found in The One I Love. Normally I believe spoilers shouldn’t be discussed in reviews, but in this case the “twist” is revealed almost immediately and it ends up being the main topic of the film–there wouldn’t be much to talk about without acknowledging it. Knowing this twist only takes some of the fun out of the discovery, but by no means doesn’t it ruin the experience. Having said all that, you’ve officially been warned.

In effort to save their troubled relationship Ethan (Mark Duplass) and Sophie (Elisabeth Moss) agree to go on “the perfect getaway” suggested to them by their therapist (Ted Danson). So the couple travel to a secluded vacation home for a relaxing weekend retreat. But the couple soon realize they’re getting way more than they bargained for. Not only do they discover the house has a neat little guest house, it’s what they find inside the guest house that completely baffles them.

Like something taken from a Twilight Zone episode, one of them enters the guest house to find an exact replica of the other partner. As expected, Ethan and Sophie are freaked out by this discovery at first. But once they realize that their doppelgangers are actually better versions of their partner—more charming, attractive, and fun to be around—the couple decide to spend time with their upgraded better half. Even with the proper ground rules this becomes a dangerous game because they end up falling in love with them.

Not only does The One I Love ask what qualities would you change in your partner, it also asks how you would change yourself. At one point Ethan admits that his doppelganger is about “20% cooler and 20% more emotionally involved” than he is. What’s more, he understands that he won’t ever be that perfect person. Accepting these imperfections in other people as well as yourself is the moral of the story.

The One I Love carefully avoids the trap of making sense of the metaphysics involved by telling its own characters not to question the “magic”. Ethan explains how an animal doesn’t question how electricity works, they simply embrace that lights magically turn on. The point isn’t how it works, so just roll with it. Essentially, it’s a subtle way to tell the audience not to nitpick at the logistics. Which is wise since the film leaves major questions unanswered like where did these doubles come from or how do they even exist?

Duplass and Moss do their best to portray better versions of themselves, changing their mannerisms significantly when playing their double. Sophie’s doppelganger uncharacteristically allows Ethan to eat bacon (the real Sophie would never allow for that!) and Ethan’s suddenly becomes interested in art. But unless they’re onscreen at the same time it can be difficult to visually tell which character they’re playing. Perhaps it was intentional to show only subtle alterations to their physical form, making them slightly more attractive to the other partner, but I’m not sure if it was completely necessary. The One I Love helps those who miss the tiny indicators by explicitly pointing out that Duplass looses his glasses and Moss pins her hair back when playing the doppelgangers.

The One I Love uses an innovative way to demonstrate how relationships tend to lose their spark over time. The film nearly paints itself into a corner by revealing its “twist” so early on, making the second act seem sluggish. It’s not that the story ever gets boring, but it shifts into cruise control for a while. However things start to come to live in the final act. A late film development makes it interesting again in time for a satisfying conclusion. The One I Love might not win over everyone, but Charlie McDowell demonstrates distinct talent as a young filmmaker in his feature debut.

The One I Love trailer

Something’s strange at this seemingly idyllic retreat. The grounds are beautiful, the amenities look perfect, but there’s something very weird going on in the guest house. Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss play a married couple seeking to feel, “renewed,” as marriage counselor Ted Danson phrases it; however, upon arriving at their getaway, the couple can’t help but be drawn to the strangeness of the house in the backyard.

Produced by the Duplass Brothers as well as Mel Eslyn, The One I Love comes from director Charlie McDowell and writer Justin Lader, both making their feature film debut here. Despite the relative inexperience of the film’s creators, The One I Love (read a brief review) nimbly incorporates its extremely unique sci-fi twist into more familiar relationship-dramatic-comedy territory. The movie’s a compelling one that keeps finding inventive ways to utilize its novel premise, examining the tribulations of committed relationships.

After premiering at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and bouncing around the festival circuit since then (including Tribeca where I interviewed McDowell), The One I Love comes out in limited release on August 15th. Check out the intriguing trailer to one of the coolest films so far this year below:

Trailer for The One I Love

The One I Love

The One I Love is a genre-bending psychological, comedic (in some parts), dramatic romance story that follows Ethan (Mark Duplass) and Sophie (Elisabeth Moss), an unhappily married couple seeking new thrills through their couples therapy sessions. The story is well written and the film is excellently executed. Duplass exemplifies the emphatic character with his extremely likeable mannerisms and familiar character traits. The dramatic reflection of married life is well paced and had the audience emotionally invested as their story progressed. Using only one location, Duplass and Moss were able to express a very personal experience to the unlikely implications of a relaxing “weekend away” to rebuild their relationship. In the end, The One I Love is a surreal, surprising, and enjoyable fantasy version of marriage counseling.

RATING: 8.7

Little Accidents

Pinpointing the exact reason why this film is worthy of this rating is difficult, there are so many. Little Accidents is not only a beautifully shot film, but it also had the collectively incredible cast whom were unwavering in their individual performances to portray isolation, betrayal, heartache, and the wonder of the human spirit in the face of sorrow. Elizabeth Banks, Boyd Holbrook and Jacob Lofland are the films driving force and carry the weight of their character profiles extremely well. Little Accidents is a heartbreaking story of loss and the pressure of a society that has conformed to a poverty stricken way of life. The towns inhabitants work their fingers to the bone and some are at risk of life threatening conditions all to put food on their tables and a shirt on their back.

Little Accidents was shot entirely on location in West Virginia and has a very convincing authenticity about it. The grey, misty atmosphere, the natural forest backdrops and rundown neighborhoods are all suggestive that what you’re seeing is real. It’s easy that this traumatic event had a lasting effect on the town.

RATING: 8.8

The Voices

The town of Milton is home to pink overalls, pink trucks, pink forklifts, and a population of 4,000 including one disturbed young man named Jerry (Ryan Reynolds). This endearing, yet mentally unstable, factory worker initially tries his very best to blend in to society–volunteering to help organize the office party, doing his best to always wear a smile. However, as unfortunate events occur, Jerry loses his ability to lead a normal life and becomes increasingly more involved and allied to his psychosis and is unable to identify what is reality.

The Voices aims to bend the rules of the psychological comedy genre by featuring a unique storyline. Reynolds plays a fantastic l”oveable” psycho serial killer and the comedic values he brings to this film are brilliant and welcomed. The film is a tremendous accomplishment. I’m sincerely optimistic for it to have a universally enjoyed worldwide release.

RATING: 8.9