Thursday 22 March 2012

ONE TO WATCH: A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE (DVD)



"Some things are not what they seem. On the surface at least, Adam Wingward’s dark and disturbing thriller looks anything but original. Sarah (Amy Seimetz) is a recovering alcoholic struggling to come to terms with both her addiction and her guilt for turning her partner over to the police. You can hardly blame the girl - Garrick (A.J. Bowen) is a dangerous serial killer who has escaped from prison. Sarah moved to the Midwest in order to forget her past; she has a good job as a dental hygienist and has started seeing another recovering alcoholic, Kevin (Joe Swanberg). The only problem is, Kevin is even creepier than Garrick, and like I said, some things are not what they seem.

Adam Wingward could be one to watch in the future; his film is blessed with rapid bursts of violence, a fractured score, and moody visuals that swing in and out of focus almost as often as its characters. Most of the performances are spot on, but Seimetz and Bowen deserve special praise - Seimetz remains sympathetic throughout and Bowen comes into his own as the tale unfolds. The first hour may seem drawn out and slow moving, but the pay off is worth it come closing time. The final act shines a different light on what has gone before, and even if you see them coming, a series of neat twists make A horrible Way To Die a journey worth taking." AW


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