Plot
David is a film editor, who has been working on long time friend Coleman’s latest directorial effort – a horror film.
David feels the project is both beneath them both; as his talent is being wasted, and that Coleman who could produce better work.
A night of drinking in his wife’s Trish’s bar opens up a series of long harboured conflict between the pair, as well as Trish’s own thoughts.
At the end of the night, will old resentments, and new secrets be uncovered? and how will they affect the trio?
Direction
Directed by film critic Noah Millman, who also wrote the screenplay.
I was fortunate enough to sit down and chat to Noah for my YouTube podcast – check it out in the link below.
Cast
Patch Darragh (from The First Purge) plays David. He fully commits to a character you dislike immensely. I found his “drunk” acting spot on.
Lawrence Gilliard Jr (The Walking Dead) plays Coleman and Jen Ponton plays Trish.
Breakdown
Set over one tumultuous night, we are introduced to the three characters in the first of three “chapters” of the night.
The first chapter “Betheca” we meet the two “friends” – David, and Coleman. Coleman has recently directed a film, having financed it himself from his high paying job. He has hired David to edit it. David, being of high self value, feels the job is both beneath him, and the work that was done, was beneath Coleman. This sets them into conversations about their pasts, including a mutual ex girlfriend.
The conversations between them are raw, honest and confronting – and came from director Millman’s own real lived in experiences with one of his own friends. David is also seemingly obnoxious to those around him, treating the bar as his own, and condescending to one of the servers.
Part Two, is “Kayla” – where David’s thoughts and opinions on the world around him are explored further. This time his companion in his diatribe is his wife Trish, the owner of the bar. While David’s longing for something more is real and heartfelt, his continued distain towards the job he is doing (and the job done by Coleman) is not shared by Trish. While in Part One we don’t get much of Trish – here we get a great deal – and their conversations are tough to listen to, but you really believe that this conflict (or resentment) lingers around them.
You start to dislike David more and more here, as his delusions of grandure, and his victim mentality come out even further here. There is a pretty raw moment between David and Trish (props to Jen Ponton for putting herself out there like that) that shows just how far this couple have to go to get back to the what they once had.
Part three is Tanya – where we discover exactly why Trish was so hard on David during their conversation, and why she was so quick to defend Coleman. They are secretly having an affair (again another raw and confronting scene). They question whether to let David know.
The final line of the film, in which David discovers the infidelity – is “lets talk” – is rather poetic, considering the entire film has been… talking. It also gives David some semblance of humanity, as he was also seen to be at least a loving father (but is this enough to make up from being an ordinary person?)
Overall
Wonderfully directed, and written with uniquely written characters, who by the end of the film you’re not sure who to root for, sympathise with – or really like for that matter.
I was fortunate enough to sit and chat with Noah Millman as part of my Podcast/YouTube channel. Please check it out.
4/5
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