Gabriel (I) (2014) User Reviews

Rory Culkin's performance is as good as everyone is saying.

[subxerogravity · 7/10 · 27 June 2015]

It's a very very quiet film with an captivating performance by Culkin

It was a very down to earth look at a kid who just got out of a metal institution attempting to prove to everyone that he's not insane, when they all feel otherwise.

The filmmakers added to this haunting quest by never fully accounting the actions of Gabriel before he got out. It's a good way to have the audience keep him as the protagonist, so that we a cheering for him all the way.

The subtlety of the whole thing from the very beginning to the very end really does the trick and actually brings out Culkin's chilling performance.

Thumbs up

Excellent lead character acting, tension spread evenly, but missed some background info that could have improved my viewer experience

[JvH48 · 7/10 · 3 November 2014]

Seen at the Leiden International Film Festival 2014 (LIFF), where it was selected for the official American Indie competition. We follow Gabriel on an obsessive search for a former girl friend, hoping that being together again will solve all his problems. Provides for an insightful view on the impact it has on family and friends who have to live with someone with mental problems, and how difficult it must be to follow his trains of thought and his hidden reasoning. That he is a loose canon and unpredictable all the time, is clear from the outset.

On the other hand, an extra 5 minutes (adding up to 90 min, still not long) could have worked to explain Gabriel's medical history, his place in the family and what problems he has been treated for. And what precisely must we think of his former relationship with Alice, and how many years have past since their relationship?? A continuous attempt to restore that friendship is the driving force of everything he does, and we may wonder why he thinks that a reunion is a good idea, and why it will solve all his problems for good.

All in all, a lot of guesswork, too much for my taste, but it may have been on purpose letting us read between the lines all the time and keeping us in tension. Yet, lead character and director show a lot of promise, with a bright future ahead. My IMDb score of 7 strikes a balance between the excellent acting on one hand, and the missing elements in the script which could have clarified some background and improved our viewer experience on the other hand. The excellent performance by the lead actor and his overly persistent quest would have been better appreciated when we had a grip on the type of disease he is suffering from. If leaving out important details was intentional to maintain a dramatic tension all along, I'm wrong with this score, but I cannot help it. Maybe I'm to rational and always in need to understand things, unable to satisfy myself with atmosphere and impressions included in a movie.

Don't Call Him...

[thesar-2 · 7/10 · 16 August 2020]

Ironic that this guy always wanted to run away from home while his brother was always Home Alone.

What saves this stalker movie is performance of Home Alone's brother, the pure reactions to the lead character's illness and how beautiful it was shot. If not for all of that, wow, this one would be a tough one. EVEN at only 85 minutes, it WOULD HAVE feel like 185 minutes.

In a very nice way of telling a story, we immediately like the Title Character, then dislike him, then fear him and then realize why. The story is slowly, but surely told to us: "Gabe's" on his way home, but makes a pitstop to see an old flame he obviously hasn't seen in years. When he can't find her, he reports homeward.

All the clues are being revealed, this boy is not well. And that's putting it SOOO mildly. In fact, that's another positive here: this kid (maybe 20s?) is so on the edge, you NEVER know when he's going to act out or hurt someone or himself. Will he get the help he needs? Will the "Love of his Life" run away with him? Or will this all end tragically?

It's not for the main stream and it might be very difficult to watch if you have someone close to you with a severe mental illness. Still, I'd recommend as this WAS beautifully and expertly shot and convincing to the end.

***

Final thoughts: I like to go into movies cold, so I try to do as very little research before I see a movie and especially during. That was a problem here. I SWORE 50% of the time that was one of the Culkins, but then I'd flip-flop throughout. I probably really should've broken my rule just so I can relax...well, with that question anyways. The rest of the movie isn't quite relaxing at all.

Honest, raw, and menacing. Rory Culkin is superb

[Red_Identity · 13 July 2015]

I mean, first of all, the film has a really misleading poster. It just seems so much like a genre film, and what was fortunately surprising is that it's actually a very real, very honest portrayal of a film topic we've seen countless of times before. Although we have, it's rare to see it handled like this. The film keeps this harsh tone of menace without actually being a "thriller". It's impressive actually, and it's really impressive how well written the screenplay is. Rory Culkin is simply superb. The only other thing I've ever seen him in (well, since his kid turn in Signs) is Scream 4 and he was definitely a standout there. He has raw talent that the film was able to give him the opportunity to showcase. Easily one of the best performances of the year so far. Another standout in the film was Dierdre O'Connell. I'm not sure that the last 10 minutes worked as well as they should have, but the film made its point and it never became anything that betrayed everything that came before it. I'm really glad I got the opportunity to see his film, highly recommended.

Waste of time

[TheDome81 · 4/10 · 2 January 2022]

Just lock the kid up again. Culkin did a decent job. But I really didn't care about the character he played. He somehow escaped the mental institution and goes in search of the childhood girlfriend he once had. But even though his family cares about him, he stubbornly won't listen to them and refuses help.

Rory Culkin delivers a terrifying performance in the haunting film from the Tribeca Film Festival...

[ClaytonDavis · 8/10 · 20 April 2014]

Just over twenty years ago, Macaulay Culkin attempted to break away from any semblance of his child actor days with the thriller The Good Son directed by Joseph Ruben. In that film it is revealed that "Henry," played by Culkin, killed his little brother Richard. For just a second in the film, we get a glimpse of Richard, pictured in a frame by Macaulay's then little brother Rory, the youngest of the seven Culkin children. Who knew that parents Kit and Patricia had saved the best and most talented for last? In writer/director Lou Howe's darkly constructed thriller Gabriel, the young Rory Culkin not only manages to build a multi-layered and fascinating character, but allows himself to be among one of the most promising and gifted lead actors seen this year.

Magnetically charged and full of suspense for nearly every moment, Gabriel is about a troubled young man (named Gabriel), who is convinced that reuniting with his first love will bring the stability and love he so deeply craves. When his attempts find missteps at nearly every turn, beginning with objections from his family, Gabriel begins to unravel.

Director Lou Howe makes his feature film debut with this twisted and terrifying look into the mind of an unstable young man. Howe lets the moments linger for what feels like a cinematic eternity, that brings the tension to the breaking point. You'll live at the edge of your seat. Assisted with the dedicated and surprising performance by Rory Culkin, the two embark down a path that will leave you breathless. The 60′s had Anthony Perkins in Psycho, the 70′s had Robert DeNiro in Taxi Driver, and now in 2010′s, we have Rory Culkin. A darkly charged performance that is both fascinating and secure, his "Gabriel" has potential to be looked back upon for years to come.

He isn't the only player that makes his mark. Playing Meredith, Deidre O'Connell, probably best known for playing Tom Wilkinson's cheated-on wife in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, takes the suffering and supportive mother role to new heights. O'Connell envelops the essence of loving with fear. Desperately wanting to keep her son with her on the outside but aware of what a free Gabriel could elicit on the world is just the tip of her internal struggle. O'Connell joins the ranks of great character actresses such as Jacki Weaver and Ann Dowd working today. An actress who should be given more opportunities to flourish in Hollywood. It's the best supporting turn this year yet.

Playing Matthew, Gabriel's brother, David Call rises to the occasion in nearly every scene he's in. Showing restraint but frustration as he tackles on the daunting task of caring for his erratic sibling. Relegated to one scene each, Emily Meade, Alexia Rasmusen, and Louisa Krause are not forgotten as bright sparkles in this foggy story that's full of mystery and uncertainty. Lynn Cohen also has a very tender and powerful scene that gives the audience some great insight into Gabriel's mind. I found her just as compelling.

Gabriel is a mesmerizing motion picture. Definitely not for everyone, the film should be able to find a nitch with a key audience that will worship Rory Culkin. Gabriel's actions are quite unpredictable and could make some too uncomfortable. While I'm perfectly satisfied with the ending resolution, as the film continuously builds to this "one moment" from Gabriel, that some may feel differently. If anything, this sets up a long line for Howe's next feature film, whatever that may be. In the end, Gabriel is one of the most frightening and haunting character studies since Mark Romanek's One Hour Photo. It shows the unpredictable and fragile nature of mental illness that we haven't seen before. Intriguing and hooked from moment one, Gabriel is a must-see film.

Another A++ film the public won't see

[cekadah · 10/10 · 8 August 2015]

What to say about this marvelous film? As Gabriel, Rory Culkin will have you liking him, hating him, feeling empathy for him, and just like his family you want to help but Gabe is beyond help.

Gabe makes a bus trip home after being an extended inpatient at a psychiatric hospital. (How long we do not know because it is irrelevant to the story). But first Gabe wants to find a girl he loves - Sarah. And this is the story in Gabriel. To get to Sarah, Gabe is no fool and you actually want him to achieve this goal. But you know it will be a dead end for him. In achieving this task Gabe sinks further into his mental illness.

Director/Writer Lou Howe brings to us the very image of hopelessness by filming all the scenes during winter when all of nature appears dead, skies gray, the days are short. This is symbolic of how Gabe feels about himself, yet he wants to live and come back to a daily life just like spring. But Gabes sun has set and he doesn't realize it.

A beautiful captivating film with superior acting and dialog by all.

So real

[migdalia2346 · 10/10 · 27 July 2015]

This was one great film. When we first meet Gabriel we discover a young adult with some dark behavior of his own, but he doesn't really care what his family or anyone think about this because he knows he is right and he knows what can solve his "problems". I love how the director don't judge or try to give a life changing lesson to Gabriel, he just let him be himself, even when that's dangerous, and confront the raw truth when he finally have to. Rory give us a performance so natural and real that transmits to us his desperation, longing as well as making us fear for him. The restaurant scene is just painfully meaningful and really well executed by both the director and Rory. Overall great film, too bad people are too busy watching mainstream garbage to give this gem a chance.

To Rory and the director Lou Howe: Please keep making good movies like this one even if you guys have to die poor.

Finally, a realistic portrayal of mental illness

[eop1972 · 9/10 · 4 June 2019]

This is the type of movie that people should be watching, but aren't. A subtle and perfectly acted portrayal of mental illness, probably one is the most realistic portrayals I've seen. Not over the top and not exploitive, and real. Rory Culkin nails this role and at a very young age had the insight to play a "mentally ill" person without acting like a "crazy person", like so many other actors assigned a role of this type of character often do. It's a character study, not a thriller, but keeps you interested and you become truly invested in what happens to Gabe. It's also interesting to see the genuine although misguided compassion of his smothering mom, and the struggle his family makes in their attempts to get him help. The last scene with Alice also shows that it is possible to show compassion for the people who live on the fringes of society. That's just about the only part of the movie that is not realistically portrayed. Most people who suffer from mental illness don't get this type of compassion from others. If you're looking for a fast paced thriller, this isn't it. If you want to see something totally engrossing that provides a lot of feels, this is a great movie. Sad it's probably seen by so few.

Under-appreciated and Overlooked

[rumiwomack · 9/10 · 4 September 2023]

'Gabriel' tells the story of a boy looking for love, which I'm sure we've all felt before. But this boy is broken and lost. He feels he's been abandoned by those he trusted most. He feels different, and that the only thing that can fix him is marrying his childhood friend, Alice.

His mother and his older brother Matt, attempt to help Gabe, attempt to fix him, but nothing they do seems to work. They've tried everything, from mental institutions to medications, but all Gabe wants is to feel "normal".

Gabriel is a sad tale of love and depression, but Lou Howe wrote this narrative with passion and enthusiasm and it pays off!

This is absolutely one of if not my favorite films of all time! Out of everything I have ever seen this one has stuck with me the longest. And I think that it will stick with anyone who watches it.

It's the rawness, it's the relatability, it's the feeling Lou Howe gave to this story and it's a feeling I think we've all felt before. That of unrequited love, uncertainty, and a fear of the future.

Rory Culkin gave an excellent performance as Gabriel (as most people have stated). But I feel someone who often gets overlooked is his mother (played by Deirdre O'Connell)

O'Connell gave a truly raw and honest performance. She truly played the role of a mother who's on the verge of breaking, but has to stay strong for her child out of pure love and support perfectly! I can't think of anyone else who could have played Gabe's mother as well as Deirdre O'Connell!

And even though 'Gabriel' is a small indie film, I think that those who have seen it, and those who are willing to see it, can all take something away from this story.

I believe everyone should watch this film, at least once in their life.