Sun Choke

Jane (Sarah Hagan ) has been spending the last few weeks (maybe months or years?) of her life stuck in her spacious, but cold Hollywood hills home under the care of nurse Irma (Barbara Crampton). It seems that something happened in Janie's life to force her into seclusion, but Irma feels that, now, enough time has passed for Janie to at least try to go outside and mingle with the rest of the world.

On her first day out, Janie notices a young woman who she becomes enamored with and she begins stalking her and, soon, she's coming in late much to the chagrin of Irma who has to find a way to keep her in line. In typical horror film fashion, things don't go as expected and a few people have to die.

Despite the gorgeous visuals and excellent performances, Sun Choke is a confounding and confusing experience from start to finish. At first, one thinks that perhaps the filmmakers are withholding important information from us to build towards some major revelation or twist at the end, but once the end credits come up, we're just as confused as we were when we first started the film.

Why is Janie cooped up in the house? What happened to her mother? Where's her father? Because we don't know a thing about Janie or her circumstances, it makes it nearly impossible to root for her and she becomes a cardboard cutout. What could have been an interesting story about two very different women becomes an empty spectacle for extreme violence with no answers.

Sun Choke almost feels as if the filmmakers secured a great location and cast and just made it up as they went along.

1/10.

It's slow, boring, totally vague to the very end and I don't see the point of this film at all.

This film cracks the puzzle of making a dreamy, surreal and non-chronological narrative engaging. In this regard it uses similar devices as Mulholland Drive and Repulsion - yet it is far from a simple clone. Most importantly it has convincing portrayals of the three significant protagonists (great acting by all 3) and a winning combination of setting and soundtrack. At a deeper level, it successfully conveys the twisted but coherent logic employed by the lead as she struggles to attain a sense of security. The audience is encouraged not to be sympathetic but cognisant of the thinking which leads Janie down her narrative path.

For me at least, this film is a masterpiece of extreme character study and psych intrigue extracted from a very minimal budget, but parlayed into a brilliantly visual and emotional experience.

It would be redundant to replicate the detailed description that has been more than aptly articulated by previous reviewers, so I'll simply limit my commentary to a general sense of quality of experience, and in that context, this production deserves high marks.

Yes, some of the editing can seem to be a bit jagged, like a puzzle who's pieces snap into place at quasi random moments, but still leave enough holes to require a fair amount of contemplation for the viewer to complete the intended picture.

But that's part of the beauty of this production, in that it absolutely pulls you in, requiring an attention to detail without becoming a tedious exercise for comprehension.

Sarah Hagan matches her character as Janie perfectly. If anything, she makes the experience uniquely hers, as it would be difficult to imagine anyone else being able to capture the essence of Janie with such depth and precision.

The content itself is disturbing, make no doubt about that.

This film is certainly not for everyone. But for those who can appreciate this genre of story and character study, it's a superb expression of the artform.

Directed by Ben Cresciman,Sun Choke begins by introducing the viewer into the life of Janie (Sarah Hagan). Janie is recovering from a violent psychotic breakdown. Each day, her lifelong nanny, Irma (Barbara Crampton), subjects Janie to a bizarre holistic health regime. Eventually, Irma, who is in contact with Janie's absent father, considers Janie well enough to leave the house. This first excursion onto the streets of LA results in Janie beginning an obsession with Savanna (Sara Malakul Lane). As this obsession progresses, deepens and Janie finally connects with Savanna, the mental calmness and control brought about by the strict, holistic regime is undone.

However, this is just the bare bones of a film that is arguably open to interpretation. For instance, although the time-frame of Sun Choke appears to be linear, I wonder if this is the case. The viewers are shown what appear to be flashbacks, or memories, but these are shown in a haphazard fashion, often with little or no sound. Muted shots of Janie's father illuminated by bright sunlight appear, as do darkly lit scenes of a distressed, apparently psychotic, Janie. Once she begins to leave the home, Janie's apparent inability to feel empathy for other human beings, and her resentment at the strict brutality of the regime she's subjected to, begin to surface. Yet, I personally feel that the route to unravelling the time-line and story of Sun Choke lie in two factors that were mentioned, but not dwelt upon, during the course of the film.

Firstly there is the absent father. The authoritative figure in Sun Choke is Irma and it is her regime which dominates and structures Janie's home environment. There is also the question of what the relationship was between Janie's mother and Irma the nanny, also how this influences the relationship between Irma and Janie. Then, when Janie's obsession with Savanna arises, so does the question of nature over nurture. But, this is just my thoughts on a film which is layered, and definitely more complex, than the bare narrative bones suggest.

Cinematically Sun Choke is a triumph on a big screen. The manner in which light is used throughout, results in some beautiful shots that linger in the mind. Editing is slick and efficient meaning that, despite the sudden flashbacks and apparent memory recalls, the flow of the film isn't disrupted. Somehow, the combination of lighting, beautifully staged sets and Irma's calm voice, seduces the viewer into accepting her role as carer, into accepting the simple, almost unstructured, story that is there for viewing with immediacy.

There was one scene where I felt the director should have held back, as what the viewer is exposed to serves to detract from the impact of the film's final section. I personally felt the scene could have ended slightly earlier, as the viewer knows what is about to happen. I wonder if here the director was trying to appeal to a bigger market than a psychological drama alone would engage. There is a manner of horror in Sun Choke, but it's insidious and deserves to remain so. From my point of view, the scene in question spoilt the ambiance of the film – it was out of kilter.

Sarah Hagan's performance as Janie is superb. She gives a very powerful depiction of a person totally unable to relate normally with other human beings. Even so, Janie isn't a character you can completely turn away from. I found I had some level of understanding for her frustration at being subjugated by the regime she was subjected to. Savanna is the perfect foil to measure Janie against. Sara Malakul Lane does well in this role. She underplays the character which serves to emphasise her normality. But by far the most chilling performance is that given by Barbara Crampton. Her interpretation of Irma is well judged and effective.

Sun Choke is arguably an Art House film. It is low budget, visually stunning to watch, and contains aspects of social realism. The lack of clarity in the narrative structure will be an issue for some, as there is no clear beginning, middle or end. The audience is presented with a form of cause and effect visualised as actions and consequences. Also, it is for the viewer to determine a pathway through the visual imagery Sun Choke presents, also to unravel the motives contained within the actions of its key players. A film of this nature will either engage you, or it will not. There is no room for middle ground here.