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| Images Courtesy of Persimmon |
Brandon
Duncan's debut feature film, Something of a Monster is a
surprisingly well crafted psycho-thriller. Blending elements of
motherhood in distress, bereavement, and familial pain, Duncan and his talented
crew use their shoestring budget to produce an 80's throwback that not only
upends overused genre tropes, but also has moments of real pain dappled
throughout its lightning fast run time. Featuring one of the best lead
performances of the year, crisp visuals, and a surprising climax, this is a
hidden gem of independent filmmaking.
Amelia, pregnant with the scion of a wealthy Outer Banks family, is hidden away at a remote inn in the Catskills. As secrets come to light, Amelia begins to believe that she is being hunted by someone or something. Hyten Davidson and Christian Missonak's script is an interesting creature. On the surface it is about a woman coming to terms with reality and adulthood, however; underneath lies a story about profound loss, desperate violence, and redemption. Ashley Bacon stars as Amelia. One of the strongest attributes of this film is how Bacon handles the material. It would have been easy to slip into one end of the spectrum, doubling down on a mental health psychosis or turning the material into comedy, but Bacon instead harnesses both ends, showcasing her talent in Amelia's onion layered crucible of revelations and heartbreak.
She is supported by Joy Sudduth and Amerah Briggs, a mother daughter duo who own the inn and act as a surrogate family for Amelia. Topics such as gaslighting and acceptance come to the fore in and around the inn and its quiet town, and Sudduth and Briggs bring a much needed sense of dedication and pragmatism to the proceedings. Rounding out the cast, Marilise Tronto who supports as Ruby, the villainous matriarch of Amelia's partner's family. Her scene is perhaps the strongest in the narrative, allowing Tronto to communicate Ruby's disdain with poise.
Brendan McGowan's cinematography is a blessing, capturing Amelia's pain with vivid closeups that are then juxtaposed against the snowy environs. At its heart this is a film that is about mothers, and who better to know more about pain and loss than those who give of themselves to care for others every single day? Be it Amelia or the force that may or may not be hunting her, the concept of maternity and of the greatest sorrow imaginable is palpable within every scene. The result is a gripping slice of independent cinema.
Now available
for digital streaming, Something of a Monster is a bravura debut.
Deftly weaving serious topics with Fargo-esque antics and tragic notions of
parenthood, this an exceptional initial effort that shows nothing but promise
for Duncan and his cast and crew.
--Kyle
Jonathan