I went in as cold as you could be with this one. Didn't even know what genre to expect or whether it was a major studio or indie release.
Turns out it was something that sits well with me.
The environment is of the sporting kind and the themes of aiming for perfection and obsession already had me intrigued. With the added frenetic editing, that makes for an intense flow that almost exhausts you as much as our leading character.
That lead is played by Isabelle Fuhrman, who was a great choice. The aggression she puts into her character makes you believe in her ambitions of pushing herself to the absolute limit. You feel the regime she has given herself and the pain she experiences. While the rest of the cast supports her well, the film works because of Fuhrman. The commitment of her performance matches her characters.
While I would have liked some of the film to have lighter imagery, the dark and dirty colour palette fitted well.
All of these positives would suggest a seasoned film-maker at the helm. But no, this is the directorial debut for Lauren Hadaway and it is quite the first feature. Hadaway has a great natural eye and with the right team behind her could give us memorable features in the next decade.
Granted, I am sucker for films about the obsession for perfection. But unlike similar films like Black Swan and The Neon Demon, this is a bit more straightforward and doesn't verge into the realms of fantasy or horror. It is closer more to Whiplash, but much lighter.
It might not be as impactful as said similar films, but this remains an effective and memorable piece of work with plenty of young and fresh talent that we need to keep an eye on.
Rating: 7/10
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