Chaperone

This was one of the most cringe-inducing, anxiety causing, nail-biting theater experiences I have ever had and that's a good thing. The film is incredibly provocative and disturbing, not glamorizing the unsavory relationship between the 29-year-old Misha and high schooler Jake.

I caught this at the Mill Valley Film Festival and I am so glad I did as this film completely took me by surprise. The actors, especially Mitzi Akaha as Misha and Laird Akeo as Jack were very natural and had great chemistry.

The script was very good and felt like something people would actually say. This realism made the film even more disturbing.

The cinematography was effective with some handheld camera movements that immersed viewers into the story. Furthermore, there was a distinct use of color that created a clear shift in the plot, taking the central romance to dark places.

While this is usually a fault, the film is predictable and in this case, it works. I could see most of where the film was going but I never thought that the filmmakers would actually go to those lengths and well, they definitely did. You would not see this level of commitment in a big studio backed film.

The setup and foreshadowing in this film is great and everything is paid off by the end.

While the film is mostly immersive, I do have a few gripes with the suspension of disbelief. I didn't always buy that none of the high schoolers or their parents were suspicious of Misha's age.

Overall, Chaperone is a heart pounding experience that effectively shares its disturbing narrative, striking a balance between humanizing its questionable protagonist while also not letting her off the hook for her actions.

This feature film is uniquely appealing with a talented cast and scenes set throughout the beautiful Hilo, Hawaii area. Great supporting cast and dialog that repeatedly draws you into the lead female's dilemma. Will she or won't she. Will she finally make an adult commitment ?The sets look like they are all local businesses, parks and schools, nary a sound stage in sight, so it provides a real Hawaiian authenticity. I truly loved this film (seen it twice ), and applaud the Hawaii-based crew, cast, producers and director/screenwriter, for making a film that will appeal to all viewers. Well done!

I really enjoyed the directing and storyline of this film, from the way in which they connected moments from early on toward the end, while also tying in such a local feel to the Big Island and city of Hilo. The suspense and humor was also well timed, which to me really highlighted the drama to be more engaging, and left me wondering how Misha's life would unfold. As the suspense grew. Kudos to the writer, producers and director. I saw this film at the Palace in Hilo on a recommendation and never read a review on it, which created even more joy and surprise, and suspense by the unfolding plot. I really liked the way it ended, and the ending to a movie goes a long way in how I rate it.

My friends and I were on the edge of our seat the whole film. The story drew you in and made you ask "what is this girl doing??" The script was very well written, the actors did a fantastic job bringing their characters to life. We were waiting for the ball to drop the whole film and the ending made us scream out loud. This is one of the few movies I've seen about an older person grooming a child where I felt like it was handled respectfully. The teen was allowed to be a teen so you could fully feel the horror of the situation. I feel the ending did the situation justice. This movie hold your attention the entire time.

This is a character drama that focuses on the relationship between an older woman and a young man. Set in Hawaii, it follows a woman that is afraid to make hard choices and is content to drift through life. It is a refreshingly blunt take on subject matter avoids the common tropes in this genre. The movie features great dialog. The characters have relatable conversations and the tension in the scenes feels organic as it reaches its crescendo. The character development is also well done. Each character stands out and their motivations are clear and nothing in the film feels forced or contrived. Definitely a must watch.