stayinflyte

Contrary to many reviewer comments here, I strongly suggest NOT skipping the first half of this film. Yes, it's slow until the actual escape (not really a spoiler), but it's entirely necessary in order to get to know and care about our main characters and their horrifying life events. Without the build-up and the immersion, the movie's ending has no true value. As viewers, we HAVE to feel their sheer panic, their undeniable fear and, most importantly, their stunning bravery and determination in the face of certain death. If the very impressive acting and compelling cinematography isn't quite enough to hold your interest (this is NOT an "action movie", so don't expect one), then fast-forwarding through the second third is somewhat acceptable but still not what a true lover of good films would do.

Loosely based on real events, I found this story to be engaging, heartbreaking, and well-photographed. The wardrobing is convincing, and the sound design and scoring are both low-key but effective, never detracting from the immersion. I'm honestly not familiar with any of the actors, but every one of them is good at what they do, especially our leads. I honestly felt drawn in and empathetic for them and their terrifying situation. This is powerful little movie that somehow slipped under my radar and apparently the radars of many others, which is a shame. Hopefully my silly little stream of it (along with this review) helps everyone involved with its production to further their careers. They made a good film.

Colin Farrell steals every scene he's in, which is many. He's a very gifted actor who has that rare ability to say a lot with few words but with loads of subtle facial expressions. Which is perfect for a story told in an old, gumshoe detective, "Raymond Chanderlesqe" style tale like this. He's surrounded by a brilliant cast of supporting characters who work well with Colin's acting style and really help bring us into John Sugar's complicated and interesting world. Hats off to the casting director.

James Cromwell is always fantastic and intriguing to watch. He's a very powerful presence. I know Amy Ryan but I'm honestly not sure why. Her list of performances is long, so I'm sure I've watched at least one or two of them at some point. Anyway, she's done a great job of absorbing her character here. Kirby Howell-Baptiste is an absolute revelation who has a heck of a career ahead of her. Next to Colin's mysterious and introspective character, hers is easily my favorite. I also know very little of Sydney Chandler's work and am limited to her role in the still-current "Alien" reboot series, but as much as I tried to like that one I just couldn't get past the first few episodes. Call me too much of a purist, I suppose. Sydney, however, was captivating in what I did watch and she doesn't disappoint with this effort. She's also one to watch as her career shifts into high gear. Oh, let's not forget the Corvette! Holy smokes, she's a beauty!

Add to these spectacular chacterizations some well-used (bordering on stereotypical) jazzy scoring, some dark and moody cinematography, a few interesting camera angles, and a plethora of external, real-world recording and you get an engaging story that moves along at a good clip. Watchers expecting too much action may get fidgety, however. This is most definitely a character study ride through-and-through, so expecting immediate gratification instead of a well-earned final dessert is a big mistake. This is a brilliant series that should be viewed in movie-making universities world-wide.

In lighter news today (it's been a rough 24 hours), this brand new series on HBO Max seems very impressive, intriguing, and immersive (the three big Is of good moviemaking, I think). I've always been impressed with Mark Ruffalo (who skills were sorely overlooked by that Hulk nonsense - although he DID kill the roll!), and he's absolutely in top-form in this show. Mark has the ability to become the "everyman" (in other words, YOU) when he works a script, which is put to perfect use here. 23-year-old Emilia Jones (who was an incredible standout in the excellent 2021 movie "CODA") was perfectly cast and shines in this role. Very impressive work absorbing her character. Her career is looking very bright. I'm not familiar with Tom Pelphrey but I may have to look into his catalog of work because he's quite convincing and effective, and he played off his supporting crew really well. Add all the good acting to some good atmospheric cinematography and scoring and this one's looking pretty promising.

It remains to be seen (this Sunday) if episode two is as good as the pilot, but based on what I've seen so far this is looking like a fascinating story. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying I sure could use the short escape today, so thanks, HBO.