★★★★ Directed by: Darin Guerrasio Starring: Liz Noth, Jake Smith and Darin Guerrasio Short Film Review by: Annie Vincent Following the death of a friend, Jessica returns to her home town – a place she hasn’t visited for a long time. With grief hanging over her, she is confronted by old friends and past mistakes and is forced to see that she must deal with her guilt. In this, his third directorial role, Guerrasio again examines deep human emotions, but a subtle humour emerges to produce a satisfying short in Wake. The film opens with Michelle parked outside a house; the funeral programme and the dark clothing our clue that she is about to arrive at a wake. It’s clear she knows the deceased well – her name, Jessica, is scrawled on a CD she has just removed from the player. But a few steps out of the car; she turns back. It’s too much for her, we assume ... Later, she attends Angie’s high-school reunion-come Jessica-memorial party, but it is clear she is far from comfortable. Though she seems to get along with Ali (Smith) and Tim (Guerrasio), she receives a cold reception from her old friend Caitlin, is flatly ignored by a man named Kevin, and despite Ali and Tim’s best efforts to keep her at the party, she eventually walks out after Caitlin confronts her with an old betrayal that left Jessica heartbroken - suddenly our protagonist isn't quite the 'friend' we had assumed. Unable to accept her guilt and her loss, Michelle falls out with Ali and wanders alone all night; until Tim is able to help her clear a way forward. While the subject matter is heavy, the production in short film Wake lifts it. Throughout, there is enough humour to save the characters from the depths of despair, including an amusing performance by Janie Stolar and Evan Kaufman as passive-aggressive couple Angie and Bobby – a sickly sweet duo who beautifully hold up the tension between a couple who are only ever a millisecond away from attempted murder. The musical accompaniment throughout the film is thoughtful, but uplifting and the crowd-pleasing ending serves up a sweet little short that delivers that warm, fuzziness you’d expect from a character film. This is a much more polished film in comparison to Guerrasio’s previous short, Decamping. The dialogue and subtle (and sometimes dark) humour have remained, but the production is sharper: the camerawork is more varied and there’s a greater use of musical montage to develop characters; the sound quality is superior here too as is the lighting quality. In all, this is a first-rate and engaging short that is certain to make audiences smile. #DarinGuerrasio #JakeSmith #LizNoth #Wake #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #AnnieVincent

★★★★ Directed by: Garrick Lee Hamm Starring: Felix Jamieson, Emilia Fox Short Film Review by: Chris Olson Biographical short film The Ghost is based on a novel by Julie Welch and Rob White which filmmaker Garrick Lee Hamm has brought to the screen with a loving touch. The story centres around a young boy called Rob White (played by Felix Jamieson) whose father was a famous footballer but was killed by a lightning strike when Rob was just six months old. Having no connection or awareness of who his father was and what he meant to thousands of loyal Tottenham Hotspurs fans, Rob goes on a journey of discovery to find out more about his heritage. Tender bordering on sentimental, The Ghost is a genre film whereby the viewer's enjoyment is most likely going to be directly linked to their passion for the subject matter. Football fans, in particular Spurs, are going to be in their element with this thoughtful portrayal of an iconic player's son and what he's missed out on. For all other viewers there is still an enjoyable and well-crafted movie here. The narrative suffers from some messy storytelling, in particular in the first act. It felt as if there was too much of an assumption by the filmmakers about the knowledge viewers would have of what had happened to John White. Speaking as someone with no knowledge at all of the event, I felt lost for significant parts and therefore unable to really connect with the characters. That being said, the atmosphere that Hamm creates is enveloping and the emotion is palpable even without the context. Above: the official movie trailer for The Ghost. The performances are clunky at times but for the most part sensitive portrayals that engage the viewer through thoughtful dialogue and good chemistry. This is a believable family and Rob's friendship group is convincing in their kick-a-bout innocence. One of the best sequences is Jamieson singing alone in his bedroom, though, a delightful scene that was well executed. I also want to throw a shout out to the sound design and cinematography, both elements were really impressive and worth mentioning as aspects that audiences may enjoy, even without a penchant for football biographies. Tasteful, heartfelt, and containing some fantastic cinematic moments, The Ghost puts in a great effort and scores where it matters. If you have an affinity for the era and subject matter, this could well be your favourite short film of the year. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Biographical #Sportsmovies #GarrickLeeHamm #FelixJamieson #EmiliaFox

★★★ Directed by: Eli Roth Starring: Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Owen Vacarro, Kyle MacLachlan Film Review by: Hope Madden Eli Roth made a family film. That’s weird. Although there is certainly something juvenile about the filmmaker’s work in general. Yes, the Hostel director (and Cabin Fever, The Green Inferno and any number of other hard-R flicks) indulges a sillier side with his big screen adaptation of John Bellairs’s 1973 novel, The House with a Clock In Its Walls. Set in a mid-Fifties slice of Americana (New Zebedee, Michigan), the film lazily crosses Spielberg with Tim Burton by way of Nickelodeon. Orphaned Lewis (Owen Vacarro) finds himself in the charge of weird Uncle Jonathan (Jack Black), who is a warlock. The two items most likely to be found in Uncle Jonathan’s big, weird house are his next door neighbor/best friend/fellow witch Mrs. Zimmerman (the always formidable Cate Blanchett), and clocks. Loads of clocks. Why so many? Jonathan likes the ruckus they create—keeps his mind off that one ticking sound he can’t quite locate…that ominous harbinger of something terrible. The house also boasts a number of bewitched items, none of which are given much point or presence as Lewis struggles with the loss of his parents, unpopularity at school, and the sudden realization that he might have just triggered the end of days. Roth and screenwriter Eric Kripke streamline Bellairs’s charming prose. Some updates are sensible, although neutering the novel’s image of powerful women is not one of the more courageous or welcome choices the filmmakers made. They entirely miss the novel’s tone, amplified with intermittent illustrations by the great Edward Gorey: subdued, wondrous yet melancholy. These are not adjectives used in conjunction with the work of Eli Roth. What he substitutes instead is colorful, artificial, sloppy fun. Black—more or less revisiting his role from 2015’s Goosebumps—charms exactly as he always does. Watching the incandescent Blanchett slyly deliver lines and easily steal scenes from Black—and anybody else who happens to be present—is a joy. Vacarro isn’t given much opportunity. His is a story about grief and loneliness. Or maybe it’s about embracing your inner weirdo. Roth can’t seem to decide, and he’s far too sidetracked by the demonic jack-o-lanterns, topiary Griffin and inexplicable roomful of carnival freakshow dummies to pay attention to the story. There is utterly forgettable fun here, mainly thanks to Black and Blanchett, but the intended audience is a little tough to gauge. Things are likely a bit too slow-moving and eventually too wicked for the very young, while teens and adults may be bored by the lack of logic or what passes for humor. Still, if you have a 10-year-old who wants a seasonal scare that’s not too scary, here you go. #HopeMadden #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #TheHousewithaClockInItsWalls #EliRoth #JackBlack #CateBlanchett #OwenVacarro #KyleMacLachlan #familyfilms #kidsmovies

★★★★ Written, Animated and Directed by: Catya Plate Short Film Review by: Hannah Sayer The second in a trilogy of stop-motion ecological thriller short films, Meeting MacGuffin is set in a post-apocalyptic future where humanity has fallen apart. Through cleverly put together and animated set pieces, Catya Plate’s short film is a fun and impressive look at her talent for stop-motion animation, but also provokes important discussion about humanity’s impact on the environment, climate change and the threats of continuing to treat the planet in a selfish and greedy way. Meeting MacGuffin begins with a segment recapping what has come before in the trilogy, in the first short film “Hanging By a Thread” (2013). Humanity is now just a memory from the past and the remnants of humans exist only in scattered pieces. A group of characters called Clothespin Freaks live amongst rubble of brains, pelvises, feet, and other body parts, and their mission is to rebuild a new form of humanity by reassembling the remains they see all around them. They have so far managed to rebuild ten of these new beings, named Homeys. The Clothespin Freaks visit a Lost and Found bureau in the underground to find new body parts and try to repair the environmental damage and disrepair done by humanity. What follows is an experimental and bizarre journey as the Clothespin Freaks and the Homeys are taken by a walking and talking Lost and Found sign to meet a groundhog, Gormal McGuffin, PhD, to find the all important parts needed to make more of the Homeys, and reassemble these human parts to create new humans. As climate experts, the groundhogs had been preparing for this environmental disaster caused by humans to occur, and the short film delves into how humans caused all this chaos and damage. This stop-motion animation is extremely clever and wonderfully crafted. Each character and set piece in the short film looks precisely put together and the overall weird and wacky effect works well at drawing the viewer in. The stop-motion is enthralling enough that you don’t want to look away in case you miss something contained within the precise detail in the film’s short running time. Meeting MacGuffin works well at both entertaining and informing. The stop-motion animation and the experimental edge to the short film are fun ways of opening people’s eyes to what humans have done to the planet. It might even challenge some viewers to change their habits in a way that can make a positive impact on the environment. Watch the official movie trailer for Meeting MacGuffin below. #MeetingMacGuffin #CatyaPlate #HannahSayer #ShortFilmReviews #Animation #Stopmotion #ShortFilms

★★★★ Directed by: Matt Nye Starring: Abbi Snee and Chris Brockway Short Film Review by: Alexandra James This cleverly constructed short film, Teared Up, is more than meets the eye, as the audience are met with a seemingly French noir setting overseeing a couple sitting in a small bistro about to broach that ever awkward ‘break up’ conversation that sends cringes down everyone’s spine. However! Matt Nye places an extremely confusing twist into the storyline where both audience and the couple themselves are thrown out of balance. The editing and setting are rather simple but effective, as Nye uses a black and white, etched background and seats the couple within a small café in order to convey a classic soppy and seemingly ‘romantic’ feel. Nye has set the scene perfectly, making it that much more shocking when the true storyline is revealed… All of a sudden the audience realise that the sadness and tears from the seemingly heartbroken girl over her emotionless, heartless boyfriend is not over a break up at all, but over the death of her beloved fish…Mr Guppy…RIP. Matt Nye throws the audience at the centre of misperception, unable to determine one situation from another. The story suddenly grinds to a jolting halt (once more) as the audience’s previous assumption of the couple breaking up becomes satisfied. The romantic sob story quickly changes direction as actor Abbi Snee stomps rather abruptly over her hopeless partner. The storyline, as described, seems forever changing, however, it flows extremely well and makes for a humorous premise. It can be said that the editing could have been a bit more diverse and a few shots of the setting itself could have helped to divert the audience’s assumption of the storyline. However, this short is entertaining, funny and certainly has a lot of potential. In some ways it can be considered a dark comedy, without revealing too much, Abbi Snee does relay some rather funny although humiliating dark truths about her ‘beloved’ before breaking his heart. An enjoyable short film packed with funny quips, heartbreak and misery…an odd combo but it works! Some great acting from Abbi Snee, it is clear she has a lot of potential and could perhaps take on more roles which involve developed and evolved characters. As for Chris Brockway, it seems that his acting was more reserved, the storyline would have benefited if the audience had a stronger reaction from him, and he was the dumpee after all! Nevertheless, this small improvement did not bring down the tone of Teared Up at all, in fact I highly recommend. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #AlexandraJames #MattNye #AbbiSnee #ChrisBrockway

★★★★★ Directed by: Max Sobol Starring: Javan Hirst, Sophia Di Martino, and Christian J. Wilde Short Film Review by: Owen Herman When it comes to short films, most have an amateur atmosphere to them. The picture isn’t as sharp, the acting isn’t quite as natural, the camerawork isn’t very dynamic. A lot of the time this can be endearing and play to the shorts’ strengths. With Max Sobol’s The Photographer throws this idea right out the window with a film so professionally made it almost felt unfair to compare it to other shorts. The film follows a photographer whose main interest is to document people who are unaware they are being watched. Soon he finds himself obsessed with a young woman and begins slowly getting more and more involved in her life. The whole film is accompanied by a voiceover which, in a Nolan-esque twist, changes the viewer’s entire perspective. Like all god mystery thrillers, this is definitely a film that will leave you feeling the need to see it again. The thrilling nature of the story is emphasised by an unnerving score that builds perfectly at the right moments as the story takes its turns to its more unsettling areas. The cinematography is, very aptly, brilliant and really captures the feeling of watching someone and being watched yourself. The Photographer is a near-perfect short that looks at morality, responsibility, and perspective. Exquisitely made and utterly compelling, this is absolutely one to watch. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #OwenHerman #5StarFilm #MaxSobol #JavanHirst #SophiaDiMartino #ChristianJWilde

★★★★ Directed by: Panos Cosmatos Starring: Nicolas Cage, Andrea Riseborough, Linus Roache, Film Review by: Hope Madden and George Wolf A hallucinogenic fever dream of social, political and pop-culture subtexts layered with good old, blood-soaked revenge, Mandy throws enough visionary strangeness on the screen to dwarf even Nicolas Cage in full freakout mode. Opening with bits of a Ronald Reagan speech about traditional values and a knock-knock joke about Erik Estrada, director/co-writer Panos Cosmatos drops us in 1983 as Red (Cage) and Mandy (Andrea Riseborough) live a secluded, lazily contented life somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. That contentment is shattered by a radical religious sect under the spell of Jeremiah (Linus Roache), who takes a liking to Mandy when the group's van (of course it's a van!) passes her walking on a country road. Jeremiah's followers return to abduct Mandy but only leave Red for dead, a move they won't live long to regret. Like Cosmatos's 2010 debut Beyond the Black Rainbow, Mandy is both formally daring and wildly borrowed. While Black Rainbow, also set in 1983, shines with the antiseptic aesthetic of Cronenberg or Kubrick, Mandy feels more like something snatched from a Dio album cover. Cosmatos blends ingredients from decades-spanning indie horror into a stew that tastes like nothing else. Horror of the late 60s and early 70s saw hippies terrorizing good, upright citizens, perpetrating cult-like nastiness. Thanks to Charles Manson, society at large saw the counterculture as an evil presence determined to befoul conventional, Christian wholesomeness. With Mandy, it's as if the 70s and 80s have collided, mixing and matching horror tropes and upending all conceivable suppositions. In this case, zealots consumed with only the entitlement of their white, male leader wreak havoc on good, quiet, earth-loving people. The Seventies gave us some amount of progress, civil justice and peace that the Eighties took back under the guise of decency. The fact that Red wears a 44 on his tee shirt and calls one baddie a snowflake shouldn't be disregarded as coincidence. But that's not what you want to know. You want to know this: How bloody is it? And how insane is Nick Cage? It's plenty bloody (sometimes comically so), and though Cage is methodically unhinged, what Cosmatos is dealing makes Nic seem damn near understated. Neither area disappoints, although the dreamlike pace leading up to the violence and the vividly Heavy Metal-esque visuals - including some animation and end credit shot- exacerbates the feeling that you, and quite possibly the characters, are only hallucinating all of this lunacy. Mandy offers a commitment to vision above all. Surrender to it. #PanosCosmatos #AndreaRiseborough #NicolasCage #LinusRoache #HopeMadden #GeorgeWolf #horror #horrormovies #movies #film #entertainment #LinusRoachemoviereviews #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases

★★★★ Directed by: Draper Shreeve Starring: Ann Webster, Ellen Lerner, Rob Phelps Documentary Film Review by Jack Bottomley Everything Matters is not only the title but also the philosophy of this compassionate and inspiring documentary that prioritises people and their experiences. Across the many documentary features that are released year upon year, you can witness a great number that recite the tales of some extraordinary people. This type of cinema really is a gathering ground for remarkable human life stories and in Draper Shreeve’s excellent film we see another, as a number of individuals who, through great pain, illness and stress, have fought to live and this film spreads their experiences. Centred around the work of health psychologist Dr. Ann Webster, this film sees her catch up with some of her previous patients, who have defied some very overbearing odds and who recall their ordeals (and triumphs) in - and mostly out - of their time in therapy. Starting with Webster telling us about how she started on this whole new direction in her life (altering courses from her fashion background into something that she realized mattered so much more), you immediately understand the compassion and emotion that is to - and does - follow. Across a group of strong people and an understanding professional, Everything Matters looks at how great adversity and struggle (in this case illness and anxiety) can in fact teach you the skills that you need to continue living and surviving life. Above: the official movie trailer for Everything Matters. Be it sexual identity, age or background, all these people in this very considered film have many other things going on in their lives but through the great negativity of sickness, they have forged something more positive (from making passions become a reality or forming new beautiful friendships built on support) and in many ways that is the ultimate testament to the power of voice. All this positivity amounts to listening and this film is built upon that idea and instead of probing into its subjects, the film instead acts as a megaphone for them to recount their lives as they wish. Despite what some may think, this is not an attack on the science of the modern technological medical profession (though some of the victims’ stories do not shy away from how certain treatment can breed new problems), instead it is a statement on how important it is to hear what people have to say, to talk to them and to allow people the platform to be themselves and share their accounts. Dr. Webster’s journey re-kindling her connection to these past patients makes for a very warm and somewhat affirming watch and whatever views people have of differing therapies, this film shows how survival is possible and how great passion can come off the back of great grief. As the film progresses, we hear these different recollections but the central theme remains deeply kind, humane and spiritual, in that it may even urge viewers with similar battles to not give in and to speak out about how they feel and who they are. These people may have met through Dr. Webster’s mind and body programme but this therapy was in many ways the start of an unexpectedly positive future, in which these people have tackled their own stressors and lived defiantly in the face of life changing experience. As the film reaches its well-shot climax, Shreeve comes to focus on the future and the many different things these people have done since their therapy with Dr. Webster and ruminate on the true nature of hope. Ending with a truly optimistic and soulful string of closing moments, we have illustrated before us that hope can absolutely take many forms and sometimes can only be attained by suffering. If there is one thing we must take away from a film like Everything Matters it is just that...everything matters. #DocumentaryFilmreviews #DraperShreeve #Documentaries #JackBottomley #AnnWebster #EllenLerner #RobPhelps

★★★★ Directed by: Alasdair Lindsay, Matthew Vivian, Josh Harper Starring: Zack, Danny, Troy, Chad Vivian, Matthew Vivian, John Broad, Ellie Ford and Ketziah Broad Short Film Review by: Rachel Pullen Boy bands are kind of kick ass right, remember Nsync, 98 degrees...Blue, so many classics, so many tight tops and overly gelled hairstyles. So many good times, and even if you don’t like the music [does anyone really?] we can really enjoy the comedy that they bring to our lives...much like the comedy brought into my life by watching Four Straight Guys: A Bendy Road [did you like my segway...you’re welcome, that’s quality writing right there]. Four Straight Guys: A Bendy Road is the story of a group of young men on their quest to make it big in the world of pop music, and their big break comes in the form of a competition where they could win....a hundred billion dollars. Why is prize money more important sounding when you say it’s in dollars?...A hundred billion pounds just sounds rubbish, personally I would be more compelled if a pizza was thrown in... Problem is they need 4 members and they only have 3, so off to recruit a new young boy they go, and it’s not long before they become a 4-piece. But all is not kittens and tank tops in boy band land, oh no, it’s not long until they fall apart and arguments ensure, jeopardizing the future of the band as well as that coveted hundred billion dollars...but no pizza... This film is what can only be described as classic British humour, and I actually did a laugh out loud at one point, which is hard to get out of me, mainly because I’m a robot, so to say it’s funny is an understatement. The humour is reminiscent of Alan Partridge [yes you will cringe...a lot] spliced with The Inbetweeners, awkward teens dancing in matching blazers is going to make anyone recoil and laugh all at the same time, but don’t shy away, these kids really now how to tell a joke or two. The acting is not the best from the get go but I can’t figure out if that was done intentionally, either way it adds to the charm, making the characters more dorky and adorable, the cheap production and often questionable sound quality can too be overlooked when you get sucked into the slapstick comical world of these young guys and their journey to the top. What I found more enjoyable about this film was not the lols, oh no, it was the fact that they actually performed their act at their schools talent show in real life, and we of course have front row seats to their performance, a clever and hilarious addition to the film that makes it all the more engaging. Let’s be honest, this has been shot on a tight budget, by a group of friends who are clearly not trained to be in front of the camera, but what they lack in those skills is made up for in their ability to story tell, make you laugh and employ the importance of comedic timing. So get your mates round and prep that karaoke machine if you’re still living in the 90’s because Four Straight Guys will have you singing along to all those boy band hits before you even realise it. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #RachelPullen #MusicFilms #AlasdairLindsey #MatthewVivian #JoshHarper

★★★★ Directed by: Paul Feig Starring: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding Film Review by: George Wolf Stephanie is a suburban single mom who keeps an "oopsie" jar for swearing and volunteers for everything at her son's elementary school. Emily is passionately married, drops frequent f-bombs and has a painting of her vajayjay hanging in the living room. But a play date for their sons leads to an unlikely friendship in A Simple Favor, a crazy fun mystery with plenty of surprises up its sassy sleeveless number. The first may be seeing the director is Paul Feig, who made his name with blockbuster comedies such as Bridesmaids and Spy. So, he's doing dark thrillers, now? Nope, he's doing a satirical comedy with strong women, nice diversity and a pretty sharp bite. Perky Stephanie (Anna Kendrick - perfect) and glamorous Emily (Blake Lively - ditto) share martinis and secrets until Emily turns up missing. Steph provides case updates on her Mommy vlog ("cookies and origami" help to ease the strain!) while spending more and more time watching Emily's son and "comforting" her husband (Henry Golding from Crazy Rich Asians). You'll guess some of what comes next, but there's plenty you won't, unless you read Darcey Bell's source novel. Screenwriter Jessica Sharzer (Nerve) shapes it for the big screen as a Gone Girl for the gaslight age, where ridiculousness is a default setting, all information is equally true/false and irony is a security blanket never far out of reach. There are plenty of black comedic laughs to be found here, as well as clever plot twists and knowing nods to the expectations that come with roles of "wife," "mother," "career woman" and "friend." The running time starts to feel bloated by the third act, and the film flirts with joining the mundane fray it had been so giddily rising above. But it rallies for the win with a satisfying finale of comeuppance and LOL updates on how some characters have moved on. A Simple Favor is not what the trailer makes you think it is - which turns out to be the perfect setup for a film with plenty of head fakes that lead to mischievous good time. #ASimpleFavor #PaulFeig #AnnaKendrick #BlakeLively #HenryGolding #GeorgeWolf #comedies #satires #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases

★★★★★ Directed by: Dom Lee Starring: Luke Morley, Craig Wilkinson, and Christina Hardy Short Film Review by: Niall Maggs James (Luke Morley) loves building cardboard models with his mother (Christina Hardy), and when she falls ill, James and the community set out to complete an impossible task - build the world's biggest cardboard fort! Fort Box is a simple short film, but it’s the emotion and happiness that you get out of it that really makes it special; it proves you don’t need explosions or action to create a heartfelt story, and one which stays with you for a long time. And Fort Box does stay with you... The trio of actors all do an outstanding job. Luke Morley as James is excellent and his portrayal is so realistic that you don’t even realise you’re watching an actor! Same with Wilkinson and Hardy, both are brilliant and give such a stunning performance, and the movie has so much more of a profound effect on you because of their terrific character portraits. The use of sound is done to perfection. It’s noticeable, but isn’t distracting. It’s subtle enough to enhance the viewing experience, and significant enough to create a lasting effect. The choice of music is also a strong point. The filmmakers didn’t use music which felt out of place, instead they used music which felt right. Like it was made just for the film. And because of this, it just works. The script is full of lines which hit hard. Every line in the dialogue has meaning and reason behind it, but it also manages to feel very natural and organic, maybe it’s because of the effortless performances by the actors, but whatever it is, it’s flippin' fantastic! The editing is also noticeably great, and the blending between scenes and shots works so well. It’s very subtle, but it’s the small things which really make this short film work. Regarding flaws - there aren’t any. Every element of filmmaking is done splendidly well, and there really isn’t anything that stands out as being ‘bad’ or ‘poor’, and to say that a film is flawless, is a very rare thing... Dom Lee’s direction is definitely worth mentioning. He didn’t revolutionalise the craft, or change the filmmaking standard, but he definitely managed to tell a risky story in such an emotional and impactful way, and gave the audience something very special. This should be witnessed by everyone. No matter what. Because even the strongest will shed many tears. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #5StarFilm #NiallMaggs #DomLee #LukeMorley #CraigWilkinson #ChristinaHardy

★★★ Directed by: Yann Demange Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Richie Merritt, Bel Powley Film Review by: Hope Madden Detroit’s economic blight has offered a powerful backdrop to many a film—Only Lovers Left Alive and Don’t Breathe spring to mind. But for White Boy Rick, this decrepitude does not simply serve a fictional horror. It created a real one. Rick Wersche Sr. peddled guns to Detroit lowlifes. Feds preyed upon his 14-year-old son with an offer: become an FBI informant or the old man goes to prison. Things escalated, Rick Jr. made some questionable decisions (as teens are wont to do), the Feds took advantage, and by the time he was 17, White Boy Rick was facing a lifetime prison sentence with no hope for parole. This for his first conviction, a nonviolent crime. Making his acting debut, Richie Merritt cuts a believably affable street kid. He’s like a puppy, a mutt, with moppy hair and a bad teenage mustache. The characterization helps to clarify how he so easily ingratiates himself into dangerous gangs, or why he’s trusted by the same, but it’s a tougher sell when Rick turns kingpin. Bel Powley nails the role of sister and more obvious victim of the family’s circumstances, while both Bruce Dern and Piper Laurie are a hoot in small roles. But it’s Matthew McConaughey who most impresses. McConaughey hits not one false note as the self-deluded optimist, Rick Sr. All resilient façade and pathetic underpinnings, desperate to create a healthy future for his family even as his own illicit gun sales compound Detroit’s problems, Rick Sr. is a study in contradictions. McConaughey approaches the task with nuance and empathy, and the result amazes. In its best moments, White Boy Rick laments the circuitous nature of poverty and urban decline. When it’s really on point, it even illuminates the infrastructure that perpetuates the tragedy. In its off-moments, though, it tries too hard to present Rick Wersche Jr. as a good kid who didn’t deserve his fate. There is no doubt that Wershe did not deserve his fate, nor did countless other nonviolent felons convicted during the US’s dubious war on drugs. But there’s something about the way director Yann Demange (’71) differentiates the white boy from the rest of the criminals that is unsettling. The racial dynamics of the film lack much of the nuance afforded the family drama. Demange invites us into the world that’s so appealing to Rick Jr.—a lure that’s far more compelling than just money—but he can’t follow through. It’s too bad, because as a showcase for performances, White Boy Rick excels. It just can’t entirely decide what it wants to accomplish with its story. #YannDemange #MatthewMcConaughey #RichieMerritt #BelPowley #Brucedern #PiperLaurie #HopeMadden #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #basedontrueevents #WhiteBoyRick #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases