Reviewers notes, humbly submitted:
1. Had the pleasure of a chance meeting with this film just after doing back to back re-reviews of Mission Impossible #4 and #5, showcasing the ultimate in Hollywood excess, and starring the youngest 50+ year old on the planet, Tom Cruise. THE INTERIOR on the other hand is, clearly, a Canadian indie, so this necessitated a downshift in expectations. From Hollywood we expect a roller coaster ride. From an indie, we expect something else, perhaps a look at the world around us, perhaps a look deep within ourselves. THE INTERIOR is about the latter.
2. The first 25 minutes are deceptive, bringing to mind the Michael Douglas 1993 film FALLING DOWN. However, as the writer/director makes clear (by literally cutting in the title precisely at this point) that is merely the setup for what is to come.
3. Reviewers and fans of the film have deigned to classify it as "light horror" and I do not disagree. Just as the iconic film REPULSION showed us that an apartment could also be considered a dungeon, a cage, and a mirror for the soul, THE INTERIOR shows us that the woods, the outdoors, can provide the same metaphor. (I remember a quote, forgot the author, about the wilderness, effectively saying that there are really only two kinds of people when it comes to the wild -- those that were raised in it, and everyone else.)
4. The film works well as a psychological study, moreso after the 25 minute demarcation point than before. Patrick McFadden does a yeoman job with the material he has to work with, reminding me very much of Henry Rollins in the cult indie HE NEVER DIED. Always focused, always moving forward.