The Art of Escape

First of all I have to say congratulations to everyone involved this movie is very impressive especially considering the fact that it is almost entirely student made. I enjoyed this movie but it is definitely not without its flaws. The acting is excellent especially among the main characters. Though the mom character becomes annoying as the movie progresses and I began to tune out whenever she came up on screen.

It is very well shot but I did not understand the significance of the shoes in the film. There are many shots of people's feet and shoes hanging from a wire and they seem to have no significance to the overarching story line of the film. The editing in this movie is very well done the way shots are cut together in quick succession is excellent. The sound was uneven at times in the film and I don't know if that was because the film is student made but it was distracting. The short time lapses in the film were very jarring and unnecessary, they added nothing to the film and only served a purpose as a semi-show offy stylistic choice. The film does have a very important message about peer pressure and societal expectations but it is slightly too blunt with its message.

Overall this movie gets a 7.8/10 because it is well made and well acted but it definitely becomes annoying towards the end as it states its message too much.

This is a good attempt by a young director. The good news is that he finished the feature. There were strengths such as strong performances by Margot Lubliner as Elise and Dylan Amsems as Danny. The film opens with Elise's mother, Sarah Wetmore, whose profoundly mediocre acting announces the film as a dud. The sound has the quality of being recorded in a tin can. Other details like Elise having this massive nasal injury and then being at school without a trace stretched belief. The injury makeup was also awful. Teens playing with drugs and sex and not having supportive parents is a tragedy. The seeds of a good film are here. I suggest that the director work with a casting director who can spot talent for his next work and also learn how to communicate to actors to elicit film performances. Even the supporting players like the other police woman and the derogatory student make obvious and awkward choices. To the film maker, don't be too discouraged. Keep learning, keep going, keep doing.