Waves

Upon finally completing this ordeal, I was literally depressed. I have so much to say about Waves, but can't seem to find the words. So, I'll just say it was spectacularly acted, written, and directed. Shults was clearly inspired by the style of Malick, whom he's worked with on a number of occasions, but unlike Malick, he knows how to make his art entertaining. The only reason I gave this film a chance was that it had Lucas Hedges in it and he's yet to be in a bad picture, so I figured what the heck. Boy am I glad I gave it a shot, great film, better than I could've hoped for...highly recommended.

This treasure of a film explores the emotions, circumstance and consequence after a moment of chaos, that moment when in an instant the world begins to crumble and the lives and directions of so many are instantly and irredeemably altered. An original story, beautifully shot, elegantly performed and imaginatively directed. Left me asking the question: are any of us as bad as our worst fifteen minutes?

I found the first part of the movie really captivating, intense, credible and very well acted. When the focus switches to the second teen in the families the whole plot becomes very mellow (still very well acted though but diminishing the overall impact).

I've said this before, but I will also never be tired of saying it; A24 is easily the best studio out there today, in terms of releasing quality content. Their endless devotion to finding original and exciting projects has always been an admiration of mine. Each year, they seem to be building a bigger catalogue of movies. Waves is one of their latest films to be produced and will hit theatres this November. Here's why, even though it may be a tough pill to swallow at times, you should absolutely be seeking it out.

I will start off and say that I'm going to keep the premise very brief, because it's the type of film that consistently surprises its audience, becoming a completely different film by the end. For this reason alone, I'll simply say that Waves is a film about a relationship and a family who slowly falls apart in unexpected ways. I was incredibly invested in the set-up for this film and all of the characters in it, so when a certain moment occurs, I was floored. This movie moved me to tears in ways that I never thought it would.

Written and directed by Trey Edward Shultz (It Comes at Night, Krisha), he very carefully crafts this story in a way that feels true to life, while also having levity in times of crisis or grief. On top of the stellar writing and direction, the cinematography by Drew Daniels, who happens to have worked with this director for years, is out of this world. From the way the camera spins to tell a story or frames things perfectly for an aspect ratio change, I would be shocked if Daniels isn't talked about for his work here.

It goes without saying that Sterling K. Brown has deliver an amazing performance, and his work here is nothing short of that word. I believe he will be recognized for awards this coming season, but I would like to mention Taylor Russell as well. Playing sort of the backbone of this family, her character has a lot on her shoulders and there are a few scenes where she absolutely steals the show. Alexa Demie, Kelin Harrison Jr., and Renée Elise Goldsberry are all terrific as well, but there was just something I couldn't put my finger on when watching Waves unfold.

135 minutes doesn't seem too long for a film in hindsight, but the way this story plays out will probably make some audiences impatient. There are a couple of instances when this movie feels like it ends, but there's still a lot left to explore. Looking back on this possible negative though, I feel that a rewatch may have me forgiving that aspect, and that has everything to do with the score. Even in the moments where a movie like this would seem to drag, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross provide a pulse-pounding score that will keep you invested, even during the slow moments in this family's life.

In the end, for what Waves sets out to be, it's nearly perfect. The route this film takes toward the end will probably not sit well with some viewers, but that aspect is what impacted me the most and took the film from great to incredible. It can be quite upsetting and depressing at times, so if you're not into that, I would suggest looking for a different film. With that said, this is easily one of the best movies I've seen in 2019 and I can't see myself changing my mind on that. This movie is a human drama that just goes for it and it tore a hole in my heart by the end. Waves is stellar.

After my wife and I walked out of the movie theater, completely devastated (in the best possible ways) by what we had seen, there was a group of teenagers (the perfect audience for this film) buying tickets and I couldn't help but think about how lucky they were to be seeing Waves. It's the type of film that if one sees it in their youth, it could change how you view movies, art...life.

I will say nothing more about Waves except it is an absolute must-see, and if it finds its audience, it has the chance to be a generational touchstone film.