Faults

I'll always remember Leland Orser for his nervous role as a surviving victim of Se7en's John Doe. I've probably seen him in bit parts since without realizing it's him, but Faults reveals his talent as he steps up to the task of a leading role. He's perfect as the cheap crook and Riley Stearns matches the darkly comic nature of his character with an ideal introduction. Stearns idiosyncratic style borrows from the best of modern cinema - the Coen brothers, Paul Thomas Anderson and Wes Anderson - but it pays off for a surreal, slightly stilted, but hilarious tone. Its premise of cult manipulation is immediately compelling, and it frames its story in a way that's offered skimmed over when it's portrayed on film and never committed to a full 90 minutes. Faults is a very confident debut, but it's a shame that the film wilts in its second half. It trades humour for a psychological thriller, and while it digs deeper into the characters, it loses its way by breaking its world. If only it didn't stumble in this final stretch, the twists in the ending could have had more impact. Still worth the watch.

7/10

Seeing the interesting premise as well as being a big fan of Riley Stearns' second feature (The Art of Self-Defense) made me want to check this one out. Comparing the two they have a lot in common, themes like loneliness, being in control of your own life and the need to belong, as well as a good amount of dark humor are all in there. Even though it does slow down a bit midway through, the characters are interesting and the dialogues witty enough to carry the viewer through to a great ending.

P. S. I was really glad to see Leland Orser as a lead after so many supporting/smaller roles and boy did he nail this Ansel character, he absolutely stole the show (Winstead was also great as usual).

"Fault is a fracture. It's a place where pressure builds until it releases."

Leland Orser and Mary Elizabeth Winstead star together in this unique dramatic thriller written and directed by Winstead's husband, Riley Stearns. Faults is his feature debut and after this, there is no doubt he's going to be getting more offers because it is a very inventive drama that feels like no other movie because it changes and morphs as the story progresses. It is hard to classify this film because it doesn't feel like any other movie I've seen. Orser plays Ansel Roth, an expert on mind control, but it is clear that his glory days are long behind him. When we are introduced to him he's trying to reuse a coupon for his meal at the hotel where he's giving a speech on his new book about free will. There are very few people who have signed up for his seminar and he's evidently in deep financial trouble. An opportunity for redemption shows up when a couple (played by Chris Ellis and Beth Grant) ask Ansel to help them with their daughter. They say she has changed dramatically after finding a mysterious cult and that they are afraid of losing her. Ansel tells them that he can help but that it is going to cost them. He plans on deprogramming her by kidnapping her and having a five day session with her at an undisclosed location. The girl's name is Claire (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and she claims to be at the happiest point in her life so apparently it won't be an easy job for Ansel who is going through his personal lowest. What follows is a fascinating psychological control study with touches of dark humor and several twists along the way. The less you know about the film going into it the better off you are.

The production team behind Faults is the same one that brought us last year's The Guest and the reinvented slasher horror film You're Next so I was already excited about this film. They present unique projects that at times blend familiar genres or include some sort of surprise element along the way. Faults is a low budget indie film but it never ceases to amaze with a production design that sets the film somewhere around the early 80's although there is no mention of when the story actually takes place. The film is perfectly executed, it has an interesting premise, and the screenplay is beautifully written by Riley Stearns as it transforms along the way. It's not one of those films that tries to fool the audience and then presents a twist that no matter how many times you go back and rewatch it it simply doesn't make any sense. Faults isn't trying to fool us, instead it is simply telling a story that unfolds in unexpected ways as we reach the climactic finale.

Perhaps what stands out the most in Faults are the two leading performances. Leland Orser delivers the best role of his career and it is great to finally see him in a starring role. His character isn't someone we should really sympathize with considering he's simply miserable from the moment we are introduced to him. He's such a loser but somehow Orser manages to engage us and we want him to have his shot at redemption. We believe he actually knows his stuff on mind control and free will but life has given him an unexpected blow that he seems to be able to recover from. On the other hand Mary Elizabeth Winstead's Claire is enigmatic and we never know what she is really thinking. Winstead delivers one of the best performances of her career as well and the two turn Faults into a highly engaging and hypnotic film well worth your time.

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Original, well acted, and well produced/edited.

This film is well worth seeing if you like original, well produced movies.

From the beginning you are never really sure where the characters are heading - until the end.

The characters draw you into their world and keep you there. Each event and emotion portrayed by brilliant acting. I had never seen any of the cast in previous movies, so it was refreshing seeing new faces (to me) bring the story to life.

Whatever expectations you have for this film just forget them and let the story telling take you where it is going to go.

Great plot and unique. So tired of Marvel and DC and Star Wars retreads. Great acting. Strange vibes. Thought it was a comedy at first. Recommended. It's a nice break from all the tripe.