From the start, the caricature of rich ex-army boy Simon seemed shallow, like something a teenager with an overactive imagination would create. He was too angry, too unpleasant and too insistent on his petty rules. We haven't seen the landed gentry here treat serfs with such contempt for at least a century and a half. Similarly, Jim is so overtly racist towards Viktor from the start that he too is one-dimensional. There's nothing subtle or believable in the whole film. Characters are unable to develop, as they have been created to facilitate the implausible plot, arriving in the form they are required to be at the most high pressure moments. They don't need motives for their behaviour later, as they are incapable of any other mode of action. Amateurish is how I feel compelled to describe them, and the story. Think of the local amateur dramatic society performing a play penned by their director, and his delight when the ideas in his head appear identical to those on stage, and that's what I viewed. Scenes that are improbable are presented as having evolved naturally,with plot twists that had me rolling my eyes. My dog didn't have to try very hard to get my attention, and anything I missed didn't matter too much.
Review of Concrete Plans
