Culprit

I don't often write reviews, but I feel an obligation to set the record straight on this one since it was rated an 8.5 on the night we watched.

I understand this is a low budget movie, but my understanding of the film industry is that the acting doesn't necessarily have to match the budget. It was poor to say the least.

Another review stated there were twists and turns. I think this could be more accurately stated as a jog to the left and then a slight course correction to the right.

I shouldn't be giving anything away by stating that I think half the budget for this movie went into a special effect at the end of the movie.

On a positive, I think the main female lead was actually pretty decent actor, but because it's a low budget movie, I don't know her name. I can't go look it up because it will erase my review. It did once already.

I had no expectation watching Culprit although I am a big fan of the whodunnit/fighting for one's innocence genre. The film does not have a huge cast but is really well-acted and the story remained very suspenseful until the end and I will leave it at that... I also liked the fact that every character is multi-dimensional and that any guesses you might have about who the killer will most likely be wrong and that the film very uniquely keeps itself to a sequel. Finally I think it's great to see that you don't need a massive budget, special effects and big stars to make a truly compelling movie.

Recommended!

I am not sure why my husband and I kept watching this movie. It seems to have potential in the beginning, but about 20 minutes in, you realize the acting and sound effects are pretty bad. And yet we kept watching. At some point, we were committed and needed to know the outcome. Due to the short length of this movie, we knew that any questionable scenes would be over soon because they had to get on with the storyline. I wonder if this was actually supposed to be a spoof because the acting was borderline terrible. In the end, there is a questionable scene with terrible visual effects, and the last scene was not the best way to end the film.

I am not speaking in hyperbole: It's extremely rare for me to see a first-time writer/director nail it on so many levels, notwithstanding the confines of a low, indie budget. Ronat cultivates a conviction and grit from the characters and performances, keeping me glued to the screen and second-guessing who the culprit is until the very end. CULPRIT is a case study on how to make a great film without studio backing.

Further, this film is not just a murder mystery; it's a commentary on the fragility of justice and the consequences of societal judgment. This idea could not be more relatable in our current day and age of misinformation and disinformation. Where is the line between truth, falsehood, and circumstantial misrepresentation? Watch and judge for yourself!

Culprit was a great film! Keeps you invested, guessing and entertained all the way through. My jaw was absolutely dropped - multiple times - through to the end.

It moves quickly, the characters and acting are fascinating with rich histories and intricate relationships and it'll have you guessing - and crazy shocked - at the end. I was convinced I knew "who did it" throughout and was tossed all over the place on a wild roller coaster ride throughout. Loved the complexity of the relationships and the layered choices for the entirety of the movie.

This is excellent indie filmmaking. Bravo and hope to see more like this.