I've been a Daisy Edgar-Jones fan ever since Normal People (2020), and I have gone out of my way to watch her follow-up projects (Fresh (2022), Under the Banner of Heaven (2022), and this film). While her performances in all of these have never been lacking (except in the sense that they lack the Irish accent I loved from that first show), none of these projects came together fully for me.
In this case, the story being adapted doesn't have quite enough room to breathe in a feature length film. Where the novel likely had ample time to gradually establish characters, relationships, and backstory, this film ends up feeling a tad too expository, relying on narration to bridge gaps and rushed flashbacks that feel like they are simply checking boxes. Everything just feels a little on the nose, without a lot of subtlety or nuance. At the same time, there is also a pacing problem, with the film dragging in certain segments. This might seem contradictory to my previous critique, so let me try to explain. I think the problem here is that the central external conflict (the murder investigation/trial) doesn't actually get much screen time, being sprinkled amongst a much larger helping of character/relationship focused flashbacks. So, while those backstory segments sometimes felt superficial and rushed, the main plot felt plodding and slow. Additionally, without spoiling anything, the final act was somewhat anticlimactic for me.
Now, these complaints are primarily related to construction. The story itself is compelling and, as previously mentioned, the central performance of Daisy Edgar-Jones is solid, as are the performances of both love interests.
Review by SkinnyFilmBuffVIP 8BlockedParent2022-07-17T21:53:36Z— updated 2023-04-29T16:30:36Z
I've been a Daisy Edgar-Jones fan ever since Normal People (2020), and I have gone out of my way to watch her follow-up projects (Fresh (2022), Under the Banner of Heaven (2022), and this film). While her performances in all of these have never been lacking (except in the sense that they lack the Irish accent I loved from that first show), none of these projects came together fully for me.
In this case, the story being adapted doesn't have quite enough room to breathe in a feature length film. Where the novel likely had ample time to gradually establish characters, relationships, and backstory, this film ends up feeling a tad too expository, relying on narration to bridge gaps and rushed flashbacks that feel like they are simply checking boxes. Everything just feels a little on the nose, without a lot of subtlety or nuance. At the same time, there is also a pacing problem, with the film dragging in certain segments. This might seem contradictory to my previous critique, so let me try to explain. I think the problem here is that the central external conflict (the murder investigation/trial) doesn't actually get much screen time, being sprinkled amongst a much larger helping of character/relationship focused flashbacks. So, while those backstory segments sometimes felt superficial and rushed, the main plot felt plodding and slow. Additionally, without spoiling anything, the final act was somewhat anticlimactic for me.
Now, these complaints are primarily related to construction. The story itself is compelling and, as previously mentioned, the central performance of Daisy Edgar-Jones is solid, as are the performances of both love interests.