Krisha

The unpleasant dynamics and tensions that many families navigate during the holidays can sometimes be downright horrifying. "Krisha," the story of a woman reunited with her family after she estranged herself many years ago in order to face her demons, is a stark reminder of how traumatic confronting the past can be.

Starring his aunt (Krisha Fairchild) and featuring himself and many of his family members, filmmaker Trey Edward Shults has gone extremely personal for his debut feature (based off a short of the same name). The film has a documentary-like feel at times and the family dynamics that play out on screen seem unusually authentic and genuine. Yet underneath it all, Shults works with camera technique and a non-traditional score to remind us how unsettling and difficult this is for his title character.

"Krisha," the film and the character, slowly becomes unhinged over the course of the film. Shults' script smartly denies us the amount of background information we'd like to have; we don't need to know exactly what she's done or what her problems were to be able to observe how frazzled this environment makes her and how confronting these long- ignored but deep-rooted relationships could dismantle her mentally and emotionally.

Shults begins and ends his film with close-ups of Krisha's face giving an indiscernible expression, perhaps with the goal of empathy. Normally we would empathize with the "normal" family members and in many ways we still do, but Shults stays close to Krisha in nearly every moment of the film and gives us piercing access to who she is. Fairchild rises up to meet the challenges that level of intimacy places on an actor. We see Krisha's discomfort and pain, and the sadness when her desire to make things right hits the roadblock of the pain she caused others in the past.

When tension does turn over to drama, the way it plays out feels impressively true to life. Shults clearly plays loose with his script, allowing these unseasoned actors to draw on their own experiences (and perhaps some actual family dynamics) and improvise dialogue. Even if you haven't had a family member melt down in front of everyone, there's a raw truth to the way tense scenes between people play out. That authenticity only makes "Krisha" all the more haunting.

Shults' direction and editing, however, is really the star of this film. He has strong instincts in terms of suspense, creating that slow build and unhinging of his film in the most simple of ways. Even in the most mundane of scenes, he draws forward any tension lurking beneath the surface. He also allows us to see, hear and experience things as the overmedicated mind of Krisha does, yet the techniques are not heavy-handed. He even plays with the chronology of events, weaving together scenes to focus on the emotional arc of the story as it pertains to Krisha rather than feeling beholden to how everything builds up in real time. The result is a much stronger portrait of Krisha and what's truly happening at a deeper level.

Filmmakers that can wield tension and suspense in this way have the skills to tell just about any story well, which bodes well for Shults' career. If he can turn the story of a troubled woman relapsing at Thanksgiving into what you might argue is a horror film that at times verges on Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem for a Dream," the sky's the limit.

~Steven C

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This movie is a depressing, well-shot trip full of heart-pounding music. The shots are long and flowing, depicting the downward mental spiral of a crazy old woman. I'd call this a thriller. Its worth watching just to experience the mild insanity of this thanksgiving gathering. Mundane scenes in this short slice-of-life story are intensified by an incredible soundtrack. This movie doesn't have much in the way of a plot or script, and is heavily reliant on stunning visuals. This story is a sad one and not for everyone, but if you're interested, then this is worth a watch.

I don't know where that "comedy" label on IMDb comes from. I don't think it functions even as a black comedy. Absolutely heavy and quite dark, but fabulously written, directed, and acted. There are many films that deal with this sort of premise (even Rachel Getting Married comes to mind) but this really took it to another level. Completely immersive, watching it all unravel just hurts to watch. Not an easy viewing by any means and definitely one that will divide audiences completely (even on this board, I can see many people hating it). I loved it though, easily one of the best of the year so far. Krisha Fairchild should absolutely be in contention for end-of-the- year awards, and Trey Edward Shults shows a lot of talent.

Like "La Cienaga", this movie has a veracity and intimacy that will freak out most self- appointed film critics (and I'm not one). If you can't handle domestic pain, tension, and heartbreak then don't watch it. As a big fan of Dostoyevsky I found it riveting and powerful. After viewing I immediately sought out the back story and wasn't surprised to learn the cast/family are actual family members. I don't think a filmmaker could achieve what Shults does with an all-actor cast. It matters not a whit to me that he used family members or that you can foresee an inevitable train wreck in the making toward the end of Act 2. A great film, and the audio effects are superb, especially in the kitchen scene and the use of a Nina Simone track to score Krisha's high flying cookoff.

"Krisha" brings the story of the title character. As the movie opens, we see Krishna, a woman in her 60s, arriving with her suitcase at a house in suburban Texas. Turns out to be her sister Robyn's house, and the entire family is gathering for Thanksgiving, and also to celebrate the birth of a baby to Robyn's daughter. It is clear that this is Krisha's first time seeing most of them in a long time, and that during that absence she deal with personal issues. At this point we're maybe 10 minutes into the movie, but to tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this movie is a labor of love for Trey Edward Shults, who directed, wrote, edited and stars in the movie. Not to mention that this movie was made on less than a shoestring (primary funding came from a small Kickstarter campaign). In the first half of the movie, we witness how this family is enjoying their time together, even if it is straining for Krisha. But the second half of the movie truly delivers. One key scene after another unfolds, and will leave you nailed to your seat. There are a number of key performances, none more so than Krisha Faichild in the title role (most other characters also use their real life names in the movie). Check out the scene where she is reunited with her mentally frail mother, who looks to be in her 90s. Just wow. Robyn Fairchild as Krisha's sister is equally excellent. There is an interesting score courtesy of (for me unknown) Brian McOmber.

This movie made quite a splash at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. No idea why it's taken over a year for this to finally get a release in theaters, but better late than not. "Krisha" opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, and I couldn't wait to see it. The early evening screening where I saw this at was attended okay but not great. That is a darn shame. This is a top notch if heavy duty family drama which deserves a larger audience. If you have a chance to see this, be it in the theater, on VOD or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, by all means do not miss it! "Krisha" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!