The Reflected Self

Reading the reviews for this movie was promising. It was said to have a complex psychological depth and insight that would leave me, as a viewer, with a sense of wonder. Given the multiple awards it had received, I believed that might be the case. However, it was not.

The movie comes across like the work of a high school student who has just been introduced to the subject of psychology and decided to make a banal and rudimentary film about it with friends. While I can sense a genuine interest in the topic, the writer does not seem to fully grasp the complex terms and concepts they attempt to portray. The multiple-choice ending only reinforces this impression. The plot had potential, but it was never fully realized.

Furthermore, I couldn't help but question the casting choice of Nia, who looks the same age as her supposed father. In the first scene, I even thought they were a couple-perhaps that was intentional? I get that she also portrayed his sister, but this does not explain why they could not have picked a younger actress. Additionally, I found the scenography to be unnatural-like watching Aria sit on a hard wooden stool, reading a book in the most awkward pose, without even a reading lamp. The overall aesthetic felt staged rather than lived-in. I also felt that the actors appeared too groomed and pristine for a narrative that was meant to be messy and emotionally raw.

This movie clearly aspired to be deep and artistic. In my eyes, however, it ended up being quite the opposite.

Worst Scene: When Dion is about to leave the house with his parents (in one of the realities), he walks over to the chessboard in his tight t-shirt, skinny jeans, and necklace, and picks up a chess piece-supposedly to remember Nia by. The moment felt unintentionally comical and undermined the emotional weight it was clearly aiming for.

Best Scene: When Aria first appears as a mysterious woman in Victorian dress with cloudy eyes, and only Dion can see her-causing him to freeze. That scene felt visually striking and emotionally intriguing, even though it didn't reflect the tone or quality of the rest of the film.

An intriguing film from start to finish that keeps you constantly guessing with twists and turns throughout. I truly admired the way that it crossed genre conventions through the use of its protagonist's state of mind - his emotion drives the genre(s) of the film and adapts accordingly with how he is interpreting the world around him, which is a technique I haven't seen before and greatly enjoyed. So be prepared for something very unique that navigates its way through drama, psychological thriller, horror (subtle), and mystery. Also, no spoilers, but it has a very good ending! Highly recommended.

From the get-go this film lures you in, lulling you into a false sense of security, leading you down one path only to be surprised with one dark twist and turn after another. As a big fan of thrillers, film noir and horror, I think the film does an excellent job of using tropes and conventions that we all love and recognize and mixes them in a way that's coherent and sits comfortably in the world the director has created. The film surprised me many times and had me paying attention for clues to work out the end. This mystery has many secrets to uncover - a great convo piece for thriller nerds!