Every Sunday, Gill delves into his archive of over 800 movie reviews and randomly selects three for your enjoyment! Here are this week’s…
Sleepless Night
Sleepless Night is a great example of a less-is-more film, as the plot is simple, there aren’t any frills in terms of special effects or overblown action, and the movie all takes place inside the many rooms of a single nightclub. Sleepless Night is an effective thriller with some clever ideas, and a competent yet flawed protagonist. The sense of geography within the location was clearly mapped out thoroughly by the filmmakers, and by the end of the movie you feel as though you, too, know your way around the club at the center of the plot. To say anything more would only serve to spoil the details of the plot, so I’ll say this: if you’re looking for a solid French thriller that could easily serve as a case study for how to make a good film on the cheap, then you should watch Sleepless Night.
3.5 out of 5
Wanderlust
David Wain’s filmography has been a bit hit-and-miss for me. I loved Role Models, but I thought Wet Hot American Summer was a bit of a mess. Thankfully, Wanderlust falls on the hit side of the fence, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying the wacky antics of its absurd characters. There are some gags here and there that don’t work, and the motivations of the antagonist don’t really fit with the character, but I liked the cast, with Alan Alda, Joe Lo Truglio and Paul Rudd being the standouts for me. It’s a sweet, if slightly confused story, and if you, like me, sometimes long to shed the hustle and bustle lifestyle of the city, then watching Wanderlust may actually make you ponder joining a commune. But don’t worry – it’ll pass.
3.5 out of 5
The FP
I’m extremely biased when it comes to The FP, because this is a film that combines a lot of the stuff that I love to champion in the movies. If you mixed The Warriors and The Karate Kid, and then replaced all the fighting with games of Dance Dance Revolution, the result would look something like The FP. And while that may sound totally stupid, I thought that the world of The FP worked terrifically. I especially enjoy the ebonics- and slang-laced dialogue that creates an almost Shakespearean language that further sells the weird retro-futuristic world of Fraser Park. The plot is the usual underdog arc, but the synthesizer soundtrack, the performance of co-writer and star Jason Trost, and the tongue-in-cheek nature of it all make The FP a thing of beauty in my eyes. Camp beauty, but beauty nonetheless.
4 out of 5
See you next Sunday for three more thrilling short reviews!