Nerve

An engrossing, intriguing and most importantly, entertaining little film from first time feature director Sebastien Guy.

We follow the main character, Jakob Evans, on his obsessive search for closure after the accidental death of his adulterous wife and the impact this has on others, most notably a young woman, Grace. His relationship with her, not an easy one by any means, is beautifully portrayed by the two leads.

Recurring images help convey the broken mind and shattered world of Jakob Evans (Christian Clark) and when his reality crosses over into the world of others, it is engrossing to watch. It has a bit of the feeling of 'Memento' about it, which puts it in good company.

The story is an intense and intimate drama, and we are taken on a journey around and inside a different Sydney from that which tourists usually see. The cinematography is superb and I personally hope the soundtrack is made available for purchase. Guy has put together a rather delicious package full of visual and auditory treats that compliment each other.

Another of the treats is the casting. Gary Sweet delivers as part of a strong supporting cast to the two main characters and Georgina Haig is superb in what could have been a clichéd role. Definitely worth putting some money on her having a big career in the future.

Definitely worth the time if you get the chance.

Nerve is a new Aussie independent feature that is well worth checking out! It has uncovered great new talent in the film's director and the two leads who play Jakob and Grace. The film is a successful moody, dark take on one man's obsession to discover the identity of his dead wife's lover and is certainly an entertaining ride! Both the cinematography and musical score are fantastic and underpins the narrative fabulously. It is great to see inner city Sydney appear in the film in a gritty, dark way and becoming like another character in the film. Nerve also has a supporting cast featuring well known faces like Gary Sweet and Cameron Daddo but the stand out is Georgina Haig who plays Grace who is luminous on screen and delivers a strong performance through out alongside Christian Clark's Jakob. Following the screenings at this year's Sydney Film Festival, there were some less than positive reviews about the film which was surprising to read, as Nerve overall is bold debut. It is not a flashy, big budget film but a local, quiet achiever that slowly draws you in and keeps you guessing.

I saw this very impressive debut feature at the Sydney Film Festival on a cold winters night. The moody soundtrack was superb and really helped create intrigue in the opening sequences . I wasn't really sure where it was headed and I liked the fact that things were revealed gradually and gave the audience some thinking space.

What also worked really well was the fact that Sydney was very much a generic city in the way it was photographed so it really felt like you could have been anywhere. This helped to immerse  you in the character's world. I think for this reason it could do well on the international stage.

The performances were great and I really liked the way the minor characters were weaved into the story.

What an amazing outcome for a film shot in a couple of weeks on a tiny budget. This director is definitely a guy (excuse the pun) to watch.

I'd say he has a  big future in Hollywood along with his DP James L Brown!!

Someone in the audience asked if the soundtrack would become available and I think the filmmakers are working on that now which will be great...

Honestly, some reviews go on about this film as if it were a masterpiece directed by Alfred Hitchcock or William Wyler. It's an escargot-paced "thriller" about a man who wants to track down his late wife's lover. The actors are not bad at all, but this is a very weak script with no real pay-off, and the alleged "twist" isn't really much of anything. The characters are fairly one-dimensional as well. The average rerun of "Dr. Phil" would be more entertaining.

Nerve had me hooked from the opening credits. Sebastien Guy has crafted a movie that is achingly beautiful in it's gritty, edgy form. Cinematically, it is a feast for the eyes with camera moves that give us hints along the way. The story is a plausible premise and the characters are well drawn with character arcs that are distinguishable. Sebastien is a master story teller. The music was especially flawless, the attention to detail that drove the entire piece emotionally. Sebastien Guy has created a cinematic wonder, this movie will stay with you. Let's hope this is the first of a long line of films by Sebastien Guy!