By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Noah Buschel
Starring: Jane Alexander | Kevin Corrigan | Marin Ireland | Odessa Young | Sam Waterston | William Jackson Harper
Country: united_states
Year: 2022
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12903840/reference/
Michael says: “While not quite as accomplished as THE VAST OF NIGHT, this nostalgia-focused thriller set in 1963 hits some similar marks, and surprised me at its cleverness and strong writing, after a slightly awkward start. The budget is clearly a lot less, and while the largely black & white cinematography is beautiful, the production design is a little sparse. In addition to the sharp, yet somewhat familiar screenplay, about a teenaged, prep-school girl who goes missing in the woods, the performances particularly by the bohemian Literature professor brought to sparkling life by Marin Ireland (star of last year’s Buried Treasure winner, LIGHT FROM LIGHT) and the Headmaster’s long-suffering, firecracker of a wife played by the accomplished Jane Alexander, really elevate this film to something worth notice. Additional kudos to William Jackson Harper (MIDSOMMAR; PATERSON) as the railroaded, black police officer, and Odessa Young (SHIRLEY) as the wisest of the missing girl’s friends showing off her investigative journalist skills as the head of the school newspaper. It’s heavily stylized, and surprisingly witty, but showing the darker side of the past often concealed by nostalgia. 4 cats“