We are dealing with something serious here. Upcoming director Kris Smith's Set Me Free is quite the trip as it shines with it's diverse characters, clever twists and the idea of going deep into the rabbit hole of mayhem. It's an intriguing analytical mess of reality, mystery and emotion. Set Me Free focuses on the desire to seek the truth of the past, though it always comes back to haunt you, it is the trouble and isolation that comes with that - which our main girl Lauren/Ava deals with. The story has a certain way of exploring the psychological persuasion into a way of thinking; Could this happen to your loved one? Astounding and original.
The women steal the film in my opinion (such as Nina Taylor, Leila Kotori, Ann-Marie Doggett, Jo Lay etc), their strong feminine approach creates such a strong impact to the film making me want to watch more. Well done girls! It's funny how the men are depicted as somewhat weak in the whole film (with minor exceptions from the father character) and the female roles are the ones that push the story forward. Nice touch. Charlotte was my favourite character due to her manipulation, greed of power and exposure of others, and I believe the film starts to become way more interesting the minute she first appears.
While there is still something I still cannot quite describe that holds Set Me Free back from being one of the best films i've seen this year, I cannot stop thinking about how powerful and great it really is. It is an ambiguous film that stays with you long after you've watched it and one that packs fantastic performances. This is an incredible film by a young, ambitious team of filmmakers. But don't get me wrong, there will undoubtedly be some debate about whether this is cutting edge independent filmmaking or just another snooty art-house mind-messer. All I can say is, I hope the film grabs enough audience for the debate to matter. It deserves it.
