Centaur

This is a smart lean masculine plot with deliciously unexpected eccentricity and sensuality. I find it so rewarding and refreshing to watch a film that has been so very well written. It's dense and intense and yet it never feels weighted. JP Allen tells a varied well constructed story from the perspective of a quirky grieving character whose personality I haven't actually ever heard from before. JP continues to make films that prove you don't need a large budget to tell a fantastic story. A great one for new film makers to watch: this is what can be done. The film is a visual love letter to San Francisco. The performances are intelligent and memorable. I've seen this film twice.

"Centaur" is the latest entry in the fairly recent genre of "found footage films." Set in and around the San Francisco Bay area, the unnamed protagonist of the film (played by JP Allen) is documenting the reasons for and implementation of his plan for revenge against the person responsible for the death of his girlfriend. We follow him through the planning stage, the "dry run," and, ultimately, the execution of said plan. Conveniently, our leading character is also a video editor, so interspersed with his footage, we get video that his girlfriend was shooting for him. Does it all come together in the end?

Sadly, no. Allen has an interesting idea here, but he just doesn't pull it off. It should be noted that not only does he star, but he is also the writer and director. He fails to impress in all three categories. His performance is lifeless, his dialogue is stilted, and his direction is uneven at best. If it was Allen the actor's choice to play the character as he does, Allen the director should have replaced him. If it was Allen's direction to play the character as such, Allen the actor should have walked. And Allen the actor and Allen the director should have demanded rewrites from Allen the screenwriter, as some of the dialogue is trite and occasionally laughable.

Perhaps the most telling criticism of this film comes from its closing credits:

"Written in a San Francisco Coffeehouse"

Exactly.

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This is a rich, intelligent, humorous film about the unraveling of a man who has lost the love of his life. (Yes, humorous.) The main character brings you in as a confidant and tries to help you understand his plight and the reasons behind what he is about to do, as he is also evaluating and deciding for himself why he is about to do what he is going to do. I was brought right in and did somehow feel a connection with him. I felt like the silent friend who is in his world listening with an empathetic ear. I felt a part of it. I have watched this movie two times and I love it more each time I see it. I've never seen a movie or character like this before. In this age of the regurgitated Hollywood stories being played over and over again, it's refreshing to see a film that is unique and smart. The writing is powerful, the acting superb, the San Francisco scenery beautiful; I loved this movie!

Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle said this unusual small film is unlike any he's seen, and called it "audacious and skillful". The story is about a man making a video journal as he plans a murder of revenge, so the style is simple and straightforward, but with some surprising variations. It's advertised as an "indie film noir" but doesn't really fit classic film noir style. It's more a mix that has elements and locations and situations that are from noir, or noir-like. Also, the film contains some great music from an Austin band called SHOULDERS with singer/song-writer Michael Slattery. The music really adds to and fits the film.

It was ok... I gave it a 6 mostly for originality. It was a very thoughtful film and really a great idea but IMO poorly executed.

The film does a good job of building some suspense, unfortunately it doesn't seem to lead anywhere. I would say that the main character is pretty smily and happy and not nearly as dark and moody as I would expect a man planning a murder to be... he comes off pretty content with his life and that does little for the movie.

The movie is.... Ok. Good idea, not really enough raw emotion in the execution.