Nerve

An engrossing, intriguing and most importantly, entertaining little film from first time feature director Sebastien Guy.

We follow the main character, Jakob Evans, on his obsessive search for closure after the accidental death of his adulterous wife and the impact this has on others, most notably a young woman, Grace. His relationship with her, not an easy one by any means, is beautifully portrayed by the two leads.

Recurring images help convey the broken mind and shattered world of Jakob Evans (Christian Clark) and when his reality crosses over into the world of others, it is engrossing to watch. It has a bit of the feeling of 'Memento' about it, which puts it in good company.

The story is an intense and intimate drama, and we are taken on a journey around and inside a different Sydney from that which tourists usually see. The cinematography is superb and I personally hope the soundtrack is made available for purchase. Guy has put together a rather delicious package full of visual and auditory treats that compliment each other.

Another of the treats is the casting. Gary Sweet delivers as part of a strong supporting cast to the two main characters and Georgina Haig is superb in what could have been a clichéd role. Definitely worth putting some money on her having a big career in the future.

Definitely worth the time if you get the chance.

Saw this film at Sydney Film Festival. Raw and real. Loved the gritty side of Sydney it showed.

Grace was a standout. Jacob's relationship with her was very convincing.

Always love Denise Roberts.

Incredible that it was shot in two weeks on a very small budget. Goes to show that a good story and good directing can prevail over budget restrictions and produce an excellent film.

Definitely seems to be a shortage of films in this genre being made in Australia.

Good action scene at the conclusion!

I have had the pleasure to watch Nerve during the Sydney Film Festival and all I could think of was 'Whaoooo'. I was glad to see one of my favorite style executed in a movie shot in my own city. The style which allow you as an audience to think, and see where it will take you. Nothing is given away in too many obvious way, but everyone with a sense of details will get to the end of the film and think 'yeah, that's it, I understand now!' Allowing us to think as an audience, but also as people, relating with our own life, our own doubts, and our own mistakes. Relating to the character in such a deep way that we understand them, or just accept them without judging.

The directing and acting performances has been extremely well executed. I loved the way it has been filmed. It helped me to be part of this space, which somehow created that tension that I am looking forward when watching a movie like this. The sound has been admirably polished to a point where you could easily just close your eyes and let it go. Highly recommend.

Honestly, some reviews go on about this film as if it were a masterpiece directed by Alfred Hitchcock or William Wyler. It's an escargot-paced "thriller" about a man who wants to track down his late wife's lover. The actors are not bad at all, but this is a very weak script with no real pay-off, and the alleged "twist" isn't really much of anything. The characters are fairly one-dimensional as well. The average rerun of "Dr. Phil" would be more entertaining.

Nerve is a new Aussie independent feature that is well worth checking out! It has uncovered great new talent in the film's director and the two leads who play Jakob and Grace. The film is a successful moody, dark take on one man's obsession to discover the identity of his dead wife's lover and is certainly an entertaining ride! Both the cinematography and musical score are fantastic and underpins the narrative fabulously. It is great to see inner city Sydney appear in the film in a gritty, dark way and becoming like another character in the film. Nerve also has a supporting cast featuring well known faces like Gary Sweet and Cameron Daddo but the stand out is Georgina Haig who plays Grace who is luminous on screen and delivers a strong performance through out alongside Christian Clark's Jakob. Following the screenings at this year's Sydney Film Festival, there were some less than positive reviews about the film which was surprising to read, as Nerve overall is bold debut. It is not a flashy, big budget film but a local, quiet achiever that slowly draws you in and keeps you guessing.