Rounding

I suppose there's a story somewhere inside this medical drama/horror offering, but I'll be damned if I can find it. Writer-director Alex Thompson's second feature outing is a plodding, dull, meandering mess in which viewers wait patiently for something to happen and nothing ever does. When a brilliant young medical resident suffers a breakdown after losing a patient, he transfers to a small town hospital for a second chance, upon which he becomes obsessed with the mysterious symptoms of a respiratory patient. What follows is an unorganized collection of vague (and unscary) surreal images, tiresome dialogue laden with detailed medical jargon, unexplained and implausible plot developments, and a story that ultimately goes nowhere, one that even requires an explanation by one of the characters to inform the audience of what supposedly just happened. "Rounding" is a phenomenal waste of time that fails to live up to any of its hype - or potential.

A great film, in my opnion, and I don't usually like thrillers. For days afterward, the story kept rolling around in my head. I hope I get a chance to see it again and even discuss it with a fellow viewer.

This was no common film, but a meticulous work of art. In the opening scenes, the purposeful use of silence and sound grabbed me right away and immersed me in the story. There was an economy to it, in that there didn't seem to be any fluff: Every moment of the film seemed to be important and seemed to keep the story moving forward.

My brother put it a good way, "if the new Thor movie is the junk food of cinema this is a wholesome delicious home cooked meal." This is a movie that entertains you, freaks you out and then makes you ponder life for the next few days. It made me feel and grow in ways I might never have otherwise.

I think part of the reason it had such a lasting impression was that it felt incredibly immersive and realistic from the perspective of a resident medical doctor based off of stories I have heard from friends and family who are doctors.

With as strange and over the top as the world of commercial film-making has become, "Rounding" was a reassuring reminder to me that entertaining movies are still being made that are also just incredible works of art in themselves. I can't wait to watch it again.

Similarities between Alex Thompson's Saint Frances (2019) and Rounding (2022) end with being character-driven. Totally coincidentally, Rose Glass's Saint Maud (2019) fans will probably, like me, find Rounding a 10/10.

Focused on our protagonist throughout, the audience are confronted with some things like dealing with novel PTSD (novel in cinema - common IRL i'd imagine) that will not be pleasant for everyone. Unlike genre horror, the gore is equally thought-provoking and sickening. I'd guess there's intention in the queasiness being induced to Rounding's audiences.

Noteworthy are some great practical effects and plenty of film-making craft. Step right up, sofa sleuths. There's ample and very serious thought, sweat, and tears on display from behind-the-camera and especially from relative unknown lead Namir Smallwood with an incredible performance in such a difficult and wide-ranging role.

This isn't big-budget and to be blunt, I'm grading on a curve. Objectively, it's not perfect, but I'd recommend it 10-fold to whatever CG-by-number sequel's on deck at the megaplex.