Reviews

Words Glenn Blomfield

This film came across as one of those pleasant surprises. The Vigil is from first time feature film director Keith Thomas, who is also the film’s writer. From Production Company BLUMHOUSE, which has some hit Horror films, like Get Out, Us, Halloween (2018), Vigil is the type of horror film that I love, that ‘old school’ horror that builds on tension, suspense, and gets under your skin and into your psyche, making you feel uncomfortable.

What is also intriguing with The Vigil is the unique Jewish perspective. Now I can’t say I am familiar in anyway of Jewish religion and faith. Though with the angle director/writer Keith Thomas takes with it, makes for some chilling and haunting suspense.

When first stepping into the film, you initially feel like a stranger in a strange environment. We are looking inside a apartment with a small group of young people, talking in a meeting, about establishing themselves in a normal world, now that they have left their Orthodox Jewish community. Exiled, and very unfamiliar what life is like in a world that we except is everyday life. Here we are introduced to our Protagonist Yakov Ronen (played by Dave Davis) who is not able to earn a living to pay for rent and medication for anxiety and depression. Leaving this meeting, waiting outside in the street during the night, is a Rabbi, who he knows. This meeting sets up the films scenario nicely, which takes place over the next five hours.

Yakov being vulnerable, accepts a job as a Shomer, where he takes a vigil over a recent departed Jewish body. Watching over the body ’til morning light. Though with this vigil there is a malevolent evil force/presence that has hold over the recent departed. With the skill of the writing. director Thomas creates a very scary environment, building on psychological tension. The haunting past intertwines with the vigil. The setting, a dark shadowy home, that houses the old widow (Mrs Litvak), still home lurking within its dark corners.

The recently departed cadaver lays in the living room in state. Our protagonist sitting alone in vigil, we also sit as the viewer, also staring at the body, with these long moments, we feel the unsettling suspense growing, our imagination leading us into the dark corners of the home. Did we see something move, is there something else? This is where the success of the film works, creeping under your sensory senses and making for a great scary haunting ride.

Davis aka Yakov Ronen, holds the film nicely together, he arches his character very convincingly, and we feel his vulnerability. The premise of the Orthodox Jewish Community and culture makes for a unique twist in the Horror genre, it could be the making for a movie franchise, even a TV mini series. If I was to to have one quibble, it is the use of mobile phone texting, its one of those problematic issues that filmmakers have to deal with, i.e. how to show someone texting without always showing the phone, which shows the text appearing on the screen. With a film like The Vigil which relies a lot on drawing you into a dark environment, the texting graphics on the screen can pull you out for a moment.

The Vigil is a welcome surprise into the Horror genre. Who knew Orthodox Jewish faith could make for a really scary horror film? This is not gory, jump scare, horror, this is a dramatic haunting film. I for one really enjoyed The Vigil. More of these please.

In cimemas now.

Words Deb C

“When Britt-Marie, age 63, leaves her husband after 40 years of marriage, she is forced to reconsider her life and break up with old habits in order to meet the real world. . Perhaps there is a second chance in life – perhaps it’s never too late to start living”

Britt-Marie Was Here (you can tell by the traces of baking soda) is a subtitled film based on a novel by Swedish writer Fredrik Backman, again, featuring a socially awkward central protagonist.

Britt- Marie is a charming, if slight, portrayal of a woman working out how best to live the remaining years of her life. Pernilla August plays Britt-Marie, a 60’ish betrayed wife. Having bulwarked her life with the domestic mantra of ”cleanliness is next to godliness” she finds herself in the isolated community of Borg, Sweden.

Having accepted the job of community worker she, who knows little of football, and couldn’t care less, has to set about working with the local disaffected youth whose only passion is football. Of course, her first reaction is to clean but slowly she is forced to interact with the children and becomes part mother, part not-very-successful coach.

Whenever her situation threatens to overwhelm her, she reminds herself to” Take one day at a time, Britt- Marie, one day at a time”.

There are many moments in this film which will resonate with women of a certain age. The sense that the necessary household chores are unrecognised, undervalued and invisible, that “all your dreams and choices might have been for someone -else.” However, the cast of characters manage to engage our sympathies and liking.

Watching the ill trained football team we can only hope for some successful outcome of the tournament and celebrate the meagre but significant score.

Director, Tuva Novotny, has stayed fairly true to the understated and restrained nature of Backman’s writing. Although, choosing to leave some of the grittier events out of the film may have lessened its lasting effect.

In cinemas July 30th.

Words Wal Reid

“The Assistant is a hard watch to maintain. If you thought Level 4 lockdown was difficult, then be prepared to meet your match”

Australian born film maker Kitty Green’s ‘fly on the wall’ film, revolves around central protagonist Jane (Julia Garner) a recent college graduate and aspiring film producer. She’s just landed her dream job as a junior assistant to a powerful entertainment mogul – yep, smacks of “50 Shades of Weinstein” here, however, that’s where the comparison ends and the drama unfolds.

While Jane goes about her daily routine, the camera scrutinises her every move, whim and emotion. Green’s keen camera-eye leans into the tropes of both Documentary & Drama genres. For the most part this works, but by the end of the film it leaves you empty pining more.

Ozark’s Julia Garner is sublime as the potty-mouthed Ruth Langmore opposite Drug Boss Jason Bateman. Here she is not given much of a template to work with, the canvas restrictive and dialogue is kept to a minimum, all which seem to suit the mandate of Green’s film.

Jane’s day is much like any other assistant – making coffee, ordering lunch, arranging travel accommodations and taking phone messages. But as Jane follows her daily routine, she grows increasingly aware of the abuse that imbues every aspect of her workday.

Garner’s character is emotionally perturbed as she balances her conscience against the typical degradations happening in the work place. Bullying, sexual coercion, sexism, emotional abuse etc.. How that plays on the viewer’s own moral ethics is left open at the end of the film to maybe pontificate.

The Assistant is a hard watch to maintain. If you thought Level 4 lockdown was difficult, then be prepared to meet your match – the movie could probably do with some assistance in that regard.