Other Films I Watched | Sundance 2022
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Here, you'll find quick, mini-reviews about films I watched throughout this year's Sundance Film Festival that I didn't have time to write a full, lengthy article about. By clicking on the titles below, you'll be redirected to the respective review.
892 Call Jane Master
Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul God’s Country Emily the Criminal
© Sundance Institute
892
Directed by: Abi Damaris Corbin
Written by: Abi Damaris Corbin, Kwame Kwei-Armah
Starring: John Boyega, Michael Kenneth Williams, Nicole Beharie, Connie Britton, Olivia Washington, Selenis Leyva
Runtime: 103 min
Synopsis: Living in a cheap motel in Atlanta and separated from his wife and child, former U.S. Marine veteran Brian Easley (John Boyega) is desperate. Driven to the brink by forces beyond his control, the soft-spoken, kind man decides to rob a bank and hold hostages with a bomb. As police, media, and family members descend on the bank and Brian, it becomes clear he’s not after money - he wants to tell his story and have what is rightfully his, even if it costs him his life.
Review: 892 boasts a heartbreaking, shocking story based on true events, proving that real life is so incomprehensible that viewers can no longer distinguish reality from fiction. John Boyega offers one of his best interpretations ever, giving a genuinely transformative display packed with palpable emotion. Michael K. Williams (last performance) and Nicole Beharie are also outstanding. Unfortunately, the one-location narrative doesn't hold enough suspense and tension to keep the audience fully captivated during the whole runtime. Even without knowing the outcome beforehand, the build-up to the predictable conclusion - beautifully executed - lacks interesting plot points and impactful character development. Still shocking, but a viewing most people won't repeat.
Rating: C+
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Call Jane
Directed by: Phyllis Nagy
Written by: Hayley Schore, Roshan Sethi
Starring: Elizabeth Banks, Sigourney Weaver, Chris Messina, Kate Mara, Wunmi Mosaku, Cory Michael Smith
Runtime: 121 min
Synopsis: Chicago, 1968. As a city and the nation are poised on the brink of violent political upheaval, suburban housewife Joy (Elizabeth Banks) leads an ordinary life with her husband and daughter. When Joy’s pregnancy leads to a life-threatening condition, she must navigate a medical establishment unwilling to help. Her journey to find a solution to an impossible situation leads her to the “Janes,” a clandestine organization of women who provide Joy with a safer alternative - and in the process, change her life.
Review: Call Jane presents a compelling premise focused on women's rights, remarkably elevated by excellent performances from Elizabeth Banks, Sigourney Weaver, Chris Messina, and Wunmi Mosaku. An interesting, engaging first act quickly grabs the viewers, featuring a well-written screenplay and clever use of witty songs. However, the story gradually loses momentum, becoming repetitive and dull. Practically every meaningful point is made during the first half, so the last hour feels a bit redundant and irrelevant, except for one particular development. Pacing issues arise to the overlong runtime and Phyllis Nagy's attempt to cover too much ground. Also, the emotional attachment with the protagonist and the narrative itself is on-and-off throughout the film. A good effort, nonetheless.
Rating: C-
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Master
Directed by: Mariama Diallo
Written by: Mariama Diallo
Starring: Regina Hall, Zoe Renee, Talia Ryder, Talia Balsam, Amber Gray
Runtime: 91 min
Synopsis: At an elite New England university built on the site of a Salem-era gallows hill, three women strive to find their place. Gail Bishop (Regina Hall), just instated as “Master,” a dean of students, discovers what lies behind the school’s immaculate facade; first-year student Jasmine Moore (Zoe Renee) confronts a new home that is cold and unwelcoming; and literature professor Liv Beckman (Amber Gray) collides with colleagues who question her right to belong. Navigating politics and privilege, they encounter increasingly terrifying manifestations of the school’s haunted past… and present.
Review: Master holds one of the most purposeful, insightful, thought-provoking Black stories of the festival. Mariama Diallo's directorial debut boasts an intriguing narrative filled with impactful social commentary on racism and white supremacy, "disguising" them with a terrifying, supernatural evil force surrounded by a powerful score and creepy cinematography. Regina Hall delivers an impressive performance, as does Zoe Renee, but the former truly shines in the lead role. Amber Gray's character could have been better explored, as well as some secondary themes, which result in a loss of focus around the mid-section. Nevertheless, the well-written script offers an informative point-of-view, allowing the viewers to feel the discrimination that the main characters suffer without ever making it a forced plot point. The final scene with the end credits already rolling is a perfect conclusion to demonstrate the cultural and behavioral differences towards and between each race.
Rating: B+
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Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul
Directed by: Adamma Ebo
Written by: Adamma Ebo
Starring: Regina Hall, Sterling K. Brown
Runtime: 102 min
Synopsis: As the proud first lady of a Southern Baptist megachurch, Trinitie Childs (Regina Hall) carries immense responsibility on her shoulders. Her church, Wander To Greater Paths, once served a congregation in the tens of thousands, but after a scandal involving her husband, Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs (Sterling K. Brown), forced the church to close temporarily, Trinitie is struggling to manage the aftermath. Now Trinitie and Lee-Curtis must rebuild their congregation and reconcile their faith by all means necessary to make the biggest comeback that commodified religion has ever seen.
Review: Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul carries tremendous potential as a religious satire, but besides Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown's dedicated performances, it's hard to find other enjoyable components. Except for two admittedly hilarious sequences, the vast majority of jokes and references about religion and the church don't land at all. The bland dramatic storyline takes itself way too seriously, negatively affecting the balance between the different types of narrative. The idea behind the distinct aspect ratios makes sense on paper, but its repetitive, constantly switching execution becomes more frustrating than anything else. Maybe viewers with a deeper connection to religion and how the American "church system" works will find it more entertaining...
Rating: D+
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God’s Country
Directed by: Julian Higgins
Written by: Shaye Ogbonna, Julian Higgins
Starring: Thandiwe Newton, Jeremy Bobb, Joris Jarsky, Jefferson White, Kai Lennox, Tanaya Beatty
Runtime: 102 min
Synopsis: Sandra (Thandiwe Newton) is very tired. It’s been years of trying (and failing) to please her recently deceased mother, while also navigating the challenging politics and power dynamics at the college where she teaches. And then there is the racism, sexism, and toxic masculinity she encounters wherever she goes. But it’s a confrontation with two hunters trespassing on her property that ultimately tests Sandra’s self-restraint, pushing her grief and mounting anger to their limits.
Review: God's Country features a remarkable lead performance from Thandiwe Newton, but the unfocused, predictable screenplay makes this film too dull to remember. Technically, it's one of the strongest movies of the festival. Gorgeous cinematography, sweet score, gripping atmosphere -- it holds the essential technical ingredients for a great film. However, by attempting to tackle many different subject matters, Julian Higgins isn't able to properly concentrate and exceptionally develop a single one. In addition to this, the protagonist carries relatable motivations, but her consequent actions feel contradictory. The racism and sexism that she has to deal with are real, but her way of confronting these situations is far from exemplary. Finally, the impactful ending beautifully works in theory, but since everything plot-wise is so unsurprising and slow-paced, the viewers will probably feel too tired to care by the end.
Rating: C
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Emily the Criminal
Directed by: John Patton Ford
Written by: John Patton Ford
Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Theo Rossi, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Gina Gershon
Runtime: 96 min
Synopsis: Emily (Aubrey Plaza) is saddled with student debt and locked out of the job market due to a minor criminal record. Desperate for income, she takes a shady gig as a “dummy shopper,” buying goods with stolen credit cards supplied by a middleman named Youcef (Theo Rossi). Faced with a series of dead-end job interviews, Emily soon finds herself seduced not only by the quick cash and illicit thrills of black market capitalism, but also by her ardent mentor Youcef.
Review: Emily the Criminal boasts two phenomenal performances from Aubrey Plaza and Theo Rossi, but its by-the-numbers crime-thriller narrative lacks sufficiently creative ideas to make it more than just an average viewing. The actress proves her immense talent once again, but it's actually the actor who surprises in a more grounded role that breaks many stereotypes related to this particular type of character. A good ending may leave the audience with an opinion more positive than what the film warrants, but it's admittedly entertaining and interesting enough... for a home release.
