Decidedly peppy or light music, bubbly stylization, and a mostly happy-go-lucky tone are fine for a romantic comedy. They're less appropriate for an earnest thriller or drama, unless there's proportionate contrast with the dark heart of the narrative. Heading into the second act we get looks at Anne's struggles to be appreciated, and personal and professional issues she's struggling with - and more importantly, suggestions in one way or another of something more sinister happening in the active narrative. I'm not sure that the latter glimpses are sufficient counterbalance in the first place, and moreover, as the second act progresses the narrative is imbalanced such that it seems like the movie is going a different direction (it is). Either seeming major thread is worthwhile in and of itself, and their combination, but even going into the third act the plot seems confused. Its uncertain ambiguity is intentional, a reflection of the profound subject matter at the center of the narrative, but the unwitting result is that for too much of the length the movie doesn't feel like it entirely knew what it wanted to be. This is unfortunate since ultimately - taken as a whole - the story is indeed decidedly grim, and real, and compelling (and yes, the music and tone likewise make that shift; the stylization evaporates). There are dire, important themes and story ideas on hand: trauma, PTSD, toxic masculinity, abusive relationships, domestic violence, violence against women, the harsh reality of being a survivor. The tale is strong and impactful, especially in the last twenty minutes or so after all the cards are on the table and we're left to ruminate on all the ramifications and implications of the course of events, and how they apply to real life. Would that 'A thousand little cuts' were more even-handed.
Filmmaker Josh Brandon has served up a screenplay filled top to bottom with gratifyingly potent, poignant concepts, primed to communicate critical thoughts in the cinematic medium. I'll say too that even as it presents as flawed and uneven in the telling, I think the broad strokes of the the screenplay, exactly as it is, are just fine. I think the chief issue here is that Brandon lacks the best nuance and delicate touch necessary to navigate the thorny twists and turns, back and forth, and deliberate choppiness of the plot. If the disparities between the two threads (Anne in the hospital; Anne's flashbacks) had been smoothed over and refined, the feature at large would have subsequently come off as more cohesive, and more focused. As if to illustrate the point, Brandon's direction is a little heavy-handed, further muffling the utmost vibrancy, party masking the crucial themes behind the unwieldy blockiness of the extant storytelling. This is reflected, for example, in the acting: I can't speak for everyone here, but I know very well what skill Marina Sirtis and Colin Ferguson possess as actors, and they've demonstrated it time and again. Here their performances seem forced, somewhat robbed of the subtlety and range we know they have. Results vary for the rest of the cast: Rebecca Liddiard thankfully does a great job with the main role, and supporting cast members Nazanin Nour and even Leah N. H. Philpott in a still smaller part; Andrew Creer and Caleb Yen, among others, don't fare as well. It's not that I think Brandon has done a bad job, for as both writer and director his contributions are functionally competent, but the lack of polish in both respects is notable.
Otherwise 'A thousand little cuts' is well made. Any effects look good, and I appreciate the hair and makeup work, and costume design. Timothy Riese's cinematography is arguably the single strongest aspect of the whole movie, with Joseph Fulton's editing not far behind. Production design, art direction, sound design - on down the line, the crew behind the scenes have put in fine work. And restricted though they are by Brandon's guiding hand, I think the cast make the most of the time on-screen. I still think this is a good film; only, it could and almost certainly should have been far, far more, and better. I don't think anyone gave less than 100%; I just think Brandon lacked the total capability to bring it to fruition. The weaknesses and shortcomings here are deeply lamentable considering the huge import of the topics being broached; I get what Brandon was going for, and it's a great idea, but it just didn't pan out in this instance, so the discreet messaging suffers in turn. With this said, I hope to see more from him in the future, and I trust he will continue to grow as a filmmaker. As it stands, this deserves far more recognition and wide viewership on account of what it has to impart - but for the difficulties it has with that conveyance, 'A thousand little cuts' is sadly reduced to a soft recommendation.
Filmmaker Josh Brandon has served up a screenplay filled top to bottom with gratifyingly potent, poignant concepts, primed to communicate critical thoughts in the cinematic medium. I'll say too that even as it presents as flawed and uneven in the telling, I think the broad strokes of the the screenplay, exactly as it is, are just fine. I think the chief issue here is that Brandon lacks the best nuance and delicate touch necessary to navigate the thorny twists and turns, back and forth, and deliberate choppiness of the plot. If the disparities between the two threads (Anne in the hospital; Anne's flashbacks) had been smoothed over and refined, the feature at large would have subsequently come off as more cohesive, and more focused. As if to illustrate the point, Brandon's direction is a little heavy-handed, further muffling the utmost vibrancy, party masking the crucial themes behind the unwieldy blockiness of the extant storytelling. This is reflected, for example, in the acting: I can't speak for everyone here, but I know very well what skill Marina Sirtis and Colin Ferguson possess as actors, and they've demonstrated it time and again. Here their performances seem forced, somewhat robbed of the subtlety and range we know they have. Results vary for the rest of the cast: Rebecca Liddiard thankfully does a great job with the main role, and supporting cast members Nazanin Nour and even Leah N. H. Philpott in a still smaller part; Andrew Creer and Caleb Yen, among others, don't fare as well. It's not that I think Brandon has done a bad job, for as both writer and director his contributions are functionally competent, but the lack of polish in both respects is notable.
Otherwise 'A thousand little cuts' is well made. Any effects look good, and I appreciate the hair and makeup work, and costume design. Timothy Riese's cinematography is arguably the single strongest aspect of the whole movie, with Joseph Fulton's editing not far behind. Production design, art direction, sound design - on down the line, the crew behind the scenes have put in fine work. And restricted though they are by Brandon's guiding hand, I think the cast make the most of the time on-screen. I still think this is a good film; only, it could and almost certainly should have been far, far more, and better. I don't think anyone gave less than 100%; I just think Brandon lacked the total capability to bring it to fruition. The weaknesses and shortcomings here are deeply lamentable considering the huge import of the topics being broached; I get what Brandon was going for, and it's a great idea, but it just didn't pan out in this instance, so the discreet messaging suffers in turn. With this said, I hope to see more from him in the future, and I trust he will continue to grow as a filmmaker. As it stands, this deserves far more recognition and wide viewership on account of what it has to impart - but for the difficulties it has with that conveyance, 'A thousand little cuts' is sadly reduced to a soft recommendation.
