Cardinals

Let me just say the storyline or plot for this movie was phenomenal Kudos to the writers it was a calm and steady pace not slow or boring so I was entertained through out the film, But it never climaxed or hit a high enough level to get my juices going and that's a tragedy to waste such a great storyline & sequence. The actors performed well and the dialogue was sufficient it just wasn't enough. Too many scenes had the actors staring each other down, At times it felt like pulling teeth. They don't speak when they should and they get loose lips when their mouth should be sealed tight. To me that killed alot of the realism the directors or creators were aiming for. This film also had many layers that it never peeled back confining this psychological drama to being a one trick pony. The ending played out and it wasn't the worst ending by any means it was at least understandable but what it didnt do was entertain. That's a no no. I waited the whole movie they give us only one flashback and then just talk minimally to each other and stare back and forth instead of talking while a life hangs in the balance.

All in all I wouldn't recommend this movie to go out of your way to watch because it left so many points on the board by not maximizing the potential of each scene. I would say this film is a little better then average but it's definitely near the top tier independently. This films gets an OK rating.

I saw the first Crack when Mark kept on about the dog or whatever she said ran in front of her.

Even with that stupid angle out of the picture, Mark did not know what his father did, nor did Valerie's ex coworker tell him.

Add what happened at the AA meeting, followed by the stupid nonsense with a parole officer inviting Mark into the house. Hugemongus plot hole right there, unless in Canada they allow such stupidity from those in the criminal justice system.

Soooooo, why would the PO even question her about the accusations, and even more of a face palming. Why after all what she went through before, during and after release from prison would she admit to the crime????? A plot hole the size of the sun.

Hence my 4 out of 10 rating.

This is an exceptional piece of film work. A very tight, very smart screenplay and an excellent cast make for a terse, intense, complex movie.Sheila McCarthy really is so much of the film's strength. The title role called for a strong, seasoned actor, and McCarthy shows she was more than up to the task. So much is expressed by her without a word; which can also be said of the other expressive actors. Don't pay any attention to the 'Short Attention Span Theater' types calling this film 'slow', 'boring', or how nothing happens. They need to stick to Vin Diesel, Adam Sandler, and rom-coms. The movie's only 84 min. How can it be too slow if it's not even an hour and a half? I'm guessing several were too confused by it much of the way through and were pissed that they couldn't figure out what was up before it was fully revealed. Don't blame the film for being smarter than you.

Saw this at TIFF. Wasn't expecting a lot so was very pleasantly surprised. This is a deliberate (some might say slow) and well drawn psychological thriller. We start with a scene that makes little sense and then fast-forward a number of years. There is clearly a mystery here surrounding a crime that was committed some years earlier by the starring character. However, as the movie begins to unfold and the pieces fall into place, the mystery slowly takes shape. As the viewer, we are anxious to see the next piece of the puzzle reveal itself but the movie takes its time and this only adds to the suspense. All the lead characters contribute effectively to the tension which builds throughout. Peter Spence, in a secondary role as the parole officer adds some much-needed humour to the scenes in which he appears. The combination of his facial expressions and dialogue elicited much laughter in the theater on the day that I watched the film (I didn't think that beef and black bean sauce could be such an amusing expression). And if you like swans, you will be very happy with a scene about two-thirds of the way into the film. The ending is written so as not to hit the viewer over the head and leaves perhaps a number of questions which my wife and I discussed as we walked out of the theater into the bright daylight of the fading summer. A real little gem!

Don't let the low ratings fool you. This is a great debut for Grayson Moore and Aidan Shipley; with very smart direction. Aided by well paced, atmospheric beats, and outstanding performances. This is not your typical character study on a family torn apart by a mistake nor is it your typical picture that follows one woman's redemption arc as she grapples with a mistake that cost her everything. This original script builds tension in the most uncomfortable way and boils over during the final 10 minutes of the film. Some will find the ending unsatisfying, hence the low ratings, but for those who can appreciate the unconventional approach to this story, you'll find it just as satisfying as the first and second act.