Rating - 6.5:
Overall, an entertaining rom-com, thriller that is carried by Meghann Fahy's performance and tension that constantly builds throughout, but the movie feels like the plot is a little too stretched at times and the editing style makes this movie feel like it was made for Gen Z.
Direction - Decent to Pretty Good:
The direction on a macroscale is pretty good, as it builds the world and sets the stakes well; the direction on a microscale is pretty good, as there is pretty good chemistry with the main cast, but there definitely are some corny moments; the storytelling is decent, as it uses tension and raises the stakes to move the story forward, even though it does get a bit repetitive at times; they build tension well, as it constantly builds to raise the stakes of the situation and keep you on the edge of your seats for this thriller
Story - Decent:
The concept is a new take on the "trapped girl" archetype, but with a modern twist; even though the concept does seem simple, they do make it engaging and thrilling; the plot structure is pretty good for the most part, even though I do feel like there are many moments in the movie where they are just stalling to add time because the movie gets very repetitive; the character writing is decent as it gives typical archetypes you would see from a movie like this
Screenplay - Decent to Pretty Good:
The dialogue is surprisingly pretty sharp for a concept this simple; the humor is forced but pretty good as it helps alleviate the tension; the foreshadowing is good as the movie feels closed-ended and does a pretty good job leaving clues for who is sending the texts
Acting - Decent to Pretty Good:
Meghann Fahy - Pretty Good (Has pretty good screen presence and a lot of confidence playing the "trapped girl" stereotype; commands the scenes she is in; has good chemistry with Sklenar and the rest of the cast), Brandon Sklenar - Decent to Pretty Good (He has a lot of charisma in his on-screen presence and has good chemistry with Fahy, but more in a rom-com type way instead of what is needed in a thriller), Reed Diamond - Decent (Your typical mysterious character who is important at the end of the movie), Rest of the cast - Decent (The remaining cast is really just filled with minor characters as the movie is really about the main two leads, but they do a decent job supporting the main cast)
Score - Decent:
Helps build tension
Cinematography - Pretty Bad to Good:
Feels a little exaggerated at times as they were trying to do too much to capture our attention
Editing - Bad to Pretty Bad:
More of a personal preference, but I really did not like how they overlaid the texts on screen because it made the movie look very tacky
Sound - Good:
Felt very exaggerated and loud, to make the stunts feel very real and hard-hitting
Visual Effects - Pretty Bad:
Felt a little too over-the-top and unnecessary
Production Design - Decent:
It uses one singular location and does a decent job of making the characters feel trapped there
Pacing - Pacing feels artificially fast because the movie is a thriller and keeps you engaged; but it simultaneously feels slow at the same time because the movie really drags out the plot
Climax - Climax is decently executed, even though it feels a little over-the-top; the ending feels close-booked and how it should have ended; the chase sequence is factually incorrect because there is no way she drove from the Loop in Chicago to the suburbs in about two minutes
Tone - Tone is very much a thriller, but has many rom-com elements to ease the tension
Final Notes - Saw the world premiere at SXSW.
