Borderline

I love Samara Weaving, and I'm happy to see Alba Baptista gaining space in an international production, but not even that saved Borderline from being a frustrating experience. For 90 minutes, all I could think was: "what the hell is this?"

The film tries to be an eccentric thriller with touches of dark humor, but it completely fails to balance the genres. There's no tension, no coherence, not even a solid script. It's a mess of scenes crashing into each other, as if the story is always on the verge of making sense but then refuses to follow a logical path.

The biggest problem is this lack of focus. Borderline seems to want to be everything at once but never commits to anything. Some moments suggest an intense thriller, while others try to lean into absurd comedy, but nothing really works. The humor falls flat because it lacks timing and impact, and the suspense never actually builds up, making it hard to feel engaged in the story. When it finally seems to find its direction, it quickly loses itself again, as if it's afraid of taking itself too seriously.

That said, I can't deny that Samara Weaving and Ray Nicholson carry the film on their backs. She continues to showcase impressive versatility in her roles, and he delivers a fantastic performance that makes me believe he'll become a major force in the industry in the coming years.

Another positive is the soundtrack, which, while not enough to save the film, adds a few moments of atmosphere. But overall, Borderline is an experience that won't appeal to everyone. It had all the ingredients to be a fun and unpredictable thriller, but instead, it's an exercise in patience, kind of stupid and never quite sure of what it wants to be.

Borderline certainly has its moments, especially in the first and second acts, with events unfolding at a rapid pace and characters getting established. I could easily buy Samara Weaving as a 90s pop star (who needed to sing a lot more in the film), Ray Nicholson as a romantic stalker-sociopath (man, this guy's got the presence and the "killer" smile!), and Eric Dane as a bodyguard (somehow, the protagonist?). Alba Baptista also gets a notably wacky role. The performances are pretty good, the lighting choices are great, and the colour palette is interesting. And oh yes, I really enjoyed the soundtrack.

What doesn't hit a home-run, for me, is basically the watered-down third act (..even when there are enough stabbings and some darkly funny moments). The film desperately needed more of Ray Nicholson than the rest, but the man simply chews up the scenery whenever he's present. The showdown between Samara Weaving and Alba Baptista was enjoyable. It's just that the film can't entirely stick the landing in terms of its tonality, thereby not ending up as memorable given the potential we see early on. Also, they didn't give the romance angle (between Sofia & Rhodes) any real build-up, and it ends up looking weak as hell.

Jimmy Warden's directorial debut, Borderline, attempts to fuse a home-invasion thriller with dark comedy, but the result is a tonal mess that never quite finds its footing. The film, set in the 1990s, follows a pop star (Samara Weaving) whose mansion is invaded by a delusional, sociopathic fan (Ray Nicholson). While the premise has potential, the script oscillates wildly between genuinely tense moments and jarringly misplaced attempts at humor, often undercutting the very suspense it tries to build. Nicholson delivers a committed performance, channeling a certain unsettling charisma, but the character is too cartoonish to be truly menacing. Samara Weaving is, as always, a magnetic presence, but she is often left to react to the film's chaotic and nonsensical events. Eric Dane is largely wasted in a supporting role. The film's biggest flaw is its inability to decide what it wants to be, resulting in a confusing and ultimately unmemorable experience.

Is it worth watching? No, it's a frustratingly inconsistent film that fails to live up to the promise of its cast and premise.

What a disappointment.

Good over-acting by Ryan Nicholson, Samara Weaving was better in 'Ready or Not' or 'Azrael'. Here, she has not that much to do.

The movie has some heavy issues concerning the script and the storytelling: The script starts with a lie and Ryan Nicholson as the first person narrator. The lie tricks the viewer and the first person narrative is never again important for the movie. Emotions are shown through the overuse of playing songs, meaning, the narrative is not confident in its script and storytelling. It has to use this trick in filmmaking showing that the direction is not good. So it's more of style over substance thing for the first time director.

The script takes decissions for a black comedy but the ideas don't really take off.

And: Borderline has nothing to do with hallucinations, so the title of the movie makes no sense.

At the end this movie is like an overlong music video.

Ryan Nicholson is rememberable, the movie unfortunately forgettable after watching.

The trailer was promissing a hilarious, dark comedy about stalking. The movie instead is not funny, not hilarious, has serious issues in storytelling, the characters and the script, but it has some dark, black humour.

Screenwriter Jimmy Warden takes the lead in directing a film he wrote himself, one that possesses a small charm as this ironic play about obsession and fame unfolds. He takes advantage of a cast that elevates the cast and makes the most of it, even if we encounter some less successful moments than others.

A cleverly thought-out thriller that uses dark humor as its mainstay, creating a film that, all things considered, generates good feelings due to its hilarious moments, which are quite accomplished and add that unexpected touch of affection for the film. To this end, we find a cast that works perfectly in coordination with its script, and the one who shines the most is Ray Nicholson, who is shown with the gestural and charismatic brilliance of his father, Jack. Meanwhile, there is a cast of well-chosen supporting actors and a Samara Weaving who isn't the Queen we know, but whose presence alone is enough to embellish the film.

It has many surprises as we delve into its story, and it truly captivates you with truly unexpected moments, as well as certain scenes that its director pulls out of his hat, creating unforgettable moments that are worth discovering upon seeing. While it may not have what it takes to end up being one of those great films of 2025, it has the merit of being a truly entertaining hit that grows endearing and overcomes its weaker moments thanks to a cast that substantially elevates those moments with charisma and talent.

A film unlike any other that brings out the best in its director, who has interesting things to show and deserves to be taken into account. It's not a perfect film, but it's worth giving it its time and seeing. It has truly worthwhile moments that will make you laugh out loud.