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Masterful Marcks thriller
11:14
Directed by Greg Marcks
Certificate 15
LYING flat on his belly and watching a colony of ants go about its business was director Greg Marcks’ inspiration for this superb thriller.
Imagine being able to hover above Middleton, Any-wheres-ville USA, and watch a fateful nights events unfold – by using brilliant chronological tricks, all leading up to the time which gives the film it’s title.
It is a nasty little place, where teenagers entertain themselves by lobbing things out of the window of a moving car and having unprotected sex in graveyards. As one character named Duffy puts it as she finishes her shift at her convenience store job: “Middleton is so fucking boring. Whole goddamn town shuts down at nine o’clock.”
Marsck paints a devastating picture. From the opening sequence, where a signpost welcomes the viewer to Middleton – a happy place to live – there is an ominous feeling in the air.
A non-linear plot adds tension. We discover as the film ambles along that we are seeing the same thing happen over and again from the different characters perspectives: it is a clever, if not entirely original idea, but one that Marcks uses with great effect.
To reveal too much of the story would ruin one of the best thrillers I have ever seen: it centres around a girl who is playing boyfriends off against each other.
The lead role of Cheri is brilliantly filled by Rachael Leigh Cook: she pouts and manipulates and schemes, creating a wholly believable girl on the verge discovering her sexuality. Supporting actors include Patrick Swayze, Barbara Hershey, and Hilary Swank: they too add depth.
And despite knowing what is going to happen as we have seen it through more than one set of eyes, this film, so chock full of suspense, saves up one last, incredible twist for the very last scene. |
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