A Masterful Blend of Ingmar Bergman, Eugene O'Neil and Roman Polanski
Writer/director Michael Wechsler has fashioned a top-notch psychological thriller, which blends elements of the three above-mentioned masters of their craft into a wholly unique film.
The Shellner family reunites during a cold winter holiday for the last time, as the patriarch (Judd Hirsch) is succumbing to cancer. An internationally-renowned psychologist, Dr. Shellner is most famous for his work with war veterans suffering from PTSD. When horror novelist son Tommy (Ryan O'Nan) arrives at the gathering, his behavior starts out being erratic and escalates into borderline-psychotic rants, hurling accusations at his father of terrible abuse he heaped upon his children as they were growing up. Tommy's siblings (Jamie Ray Newman, C.S. Lee, Joseph Lyle Taylor) and their concerned, caring mother (Caroline Lagerfelt) slowly put the pieces of the twisted puzzle together, building to a shattering climax.
This is the kind of film that proves you don't need a mega-billion dollar budget of special effects, explosions and guys in tights and capes to make for an entertaining, thought-provoking evening at the cinema. There isn't a false note in the entire production. Direction, script, cinematography, and especially the performances are all top-notch. Kudos to all involved.
I shall look forward with great anticipation to more work from Mr. Wechsler in the future. 10/10.
The Shellner family reunites during a cold winter holiday for the last time, as the patriarch (Judd Hirsch) is succumbing to cancer. An internationally-renowned psychologist, Dr. Shellner is most famous for his work with war veterans suffering from PTSD. When horror novelist son Tommy (Ryan O'Nan) arrives at the gathering, his behavior starts out being erratic and escalates into borderline-psychotic rants, hurling accusations at his father of terrible abuse he heaped upon his children as they were growing up. Tommy's siblings (Jamie Ray Newman, C.S. Lee, Joseph Lyle Taylor) and their concerned, caring mother (Caroline Lagerfelt) slowly put the pieces of the twisted puzzle together, building to a shattering climax.
This is the kind of film that proves you don't need a mega-billion dollar budget of special effects, explosions and guys in tights and capes to make for an entertaining, thought-provoking evening at the cinema. There isn't a false note in the entire production. Direction, script, cinematography, and especially the performances are all top-notch. Kudos to all involved.
I shall look forward with great anticipation to more work from Mr. Wechsler in the future. 10/10.
- Alwood
- Oct 22, 2013