#Like

A promising set-up ends in disappointment in #Like, and not just for the female protagonist. A movie very much like Hard Candy in everything but decent execution, it seems constantly on the verge on many different genres... suspense thriller, torture porn, teen romance... before backing away from all of them and just being an unseemly mish-mash of nothing in particular.

This is a real shame as the acting is universally good, and the twist at the end could be impactful under different circumstances. But with so much confusion as to what it wants to be, plus the MANY unanswered questions at the end, you have a half-baked creation of which the best compliment is that it's less than the sum of it's parts.

Next time, try kneading the plot dough a bit more, add a pinch of salt then stick it in the oven for an extra five minutes. The end result will be worth the extra effort. Guaranteed. :) 5/10.

This film had me absorbed within minutes, the way the director introduces the premise while not giving too much away creates suspense and mystery from the beginning which is carried until the end. Sarah Rich's performance is extremely strong, showing both the turmoil and fear this girl is going through, as well as believable teenage behavior when she is with her friends. Marc Menchaca's performance as the main suspect is also very strong, and the film is beautifully shot with a tense, minimal score. Great work overall from director Sarah Pirozek, I look forward to seeing what she does next!

It was going in a great direction but sadly fell flat. Just when you think there's a twist and it's going to pay off, it's like they just gave up. Really disappointing ending, damn shame!

Beautifully shot, well-acted, and moving, this was an uncomfortable watch, which I think was the point. Similar to Promising Young Woman, but less entertaining, this was more gripping in a realistic, heart-breaking, frustrating way that made the middle of the movie slow and hard to watch as it descended close to a kind of torture-porn. It's redeemed by the themes and thoughtfulness behind why everything's happening, but it's ultimately missing an exploration into why the main character suddenly spirals into this madness - how she goes about it is much more thought out than a crime of passion. But the performances between the two leads and their moments together in the basement were strong. I applaud the open ending because - that's life - but wanted more from how this experience changed the main character and where she was going from there. Overall, though, a strong movie from a strong and intentional writer/director.

This movie is boring. The trailer makes it look pretty good, don't be fooled! It's baseless, no conclusion or explanations for anything. It seemed to maybe possibly be making sense for about 4 minutes and right back off the rails again. Please trust me, it sucks!!!