Exhibit A

In this movie, a young girl videotapes her family as they get ready to move into a new house. Things seem pretty normal at first, but things begin to change bit by bit. At the beginning of the movie, I had a hard time sitting through it because I really disliked the characters (except for the girl filming). The second half of the movie is supposed to be cringe-inducing because of what begins to happen, so it was slightly easier to follow. However, some moments late in the film were almost too upsetting for me--the sort of thing that you wish you didn't have in your memory and makes you question what you seek out for entertainment. I was especially caught off guard because I missed the evidence tag that is shown just before the home movies start. I did like the fact that this was a found footage film written as realistic fiction instead of introducing supernatural elements, but the fact that something like this could really happen bothered me more.

This is honestly the most uncomfortable I have felt watching a film since watching Soft (2006). I am not usually fond of found footage films, but there are good ones and Exhibit A is as well crafted as it is mesmerising.

The story was pretty realistic for me, I have known people and families like that, and whilst this is not a horror film it was definitely horrifying. I disagree that the pacing was off, as it is clearly meant to be a slow turning of the screw. This will never get the recognition it deserves as no one in their right mind could ever recommend watching this because its that good at what it does.

The acting in this is terrific all the way around. Since most all FF films are acted out based on an outline and dialogue points to it, you see a LOT of cuts since the actors mess up their "lines." Not here. Other than the natural cuts from scene to scene, there is very little in-scene cutting, meaning the actors delivered and met their marks.

My only problems with the film are that I never really got a sense why the father fell so far from sanity. Many people have gone through financial struggles without losing their minds, and I never got the sense the father was on edge, mentally, to do what he does at the end.

And the ending simply went on too long. It was the one time when the film lagged when usually the end is when these FF films pick up and race toward the climax.

Overall, a really well done job all the way around.

This is a found footage film that deviates in that there is nothing supernatural in the eeriness of it. Tale of a family with typical secrets except for the father who descends into his madness. What follows is a realistic depiction of mental breakdown. Slow burn to the end, and a sad end it is. I have nothing to do with this film or anyone with the production. Just a psychologist in America who happens to like these types of films.

A middle class family man doesn't get the big promotion he's been talking about for days, but now that his wife is ready to move to the dream house he promised, feeling she couldn't handle the truth, he tells her he got the job... which starts a hellish chain reaction.

I like that concept, one lie that starts an endless series of lies, burying the liar each time a bit deeper. Classic yet effective when it's well done, like here.

The main character is well written. He's an annoying unfunny guy who tries way too hard to be the party boy he's not, which we all find despicable in real life, so it feels good to see him sinking. On the other hand, he didn't mean any harm when he first lied, he was just scared of his wife's reaction and acted on that impulse, so you feel bad for him. You both hate and pity him, that's very clever.

It may not be a masterpiece but it's a good movie.