Thursday, May 30, 2019

#Like (2019) Brooklyn Film Festival 2019

I need to see #LIKE again. That is not a bad thing but a good thing. It’s is a film that has haunted the edges of my mind since I saw it and grown in stature since I first saw it.

The film concerns Rosie who is still mourning the passing of her sister Amelia. A year earlier she took her own life- having been bullied to the point of death. Unfortunately Rosie discovers the evil person behind her sister’s death has resurfaced and she is not going to just let them do it to the next person.

What is nominally a thriller is in reality something more. A mediation on our on line lives, revenge, and a whole bunch of other things. It’s a film that you watch and enjoy- and then you can quite shake. I watched the film figuring it was going to take a certain path and it did for a bit until it didn’t (and no I am not going to tell you what happens, you’ll have to see it) and it was the little twists and turns that hung with me. Not because of what they did with the plot but because they raised all sorts of interesting threads such as how do we handle the results of our actions.

I really like the film, but at the same time I’m not certain what I fully think of the film. Please don’t take that to mean it’s a bad film. Take that to mean that this is one of those films where I am cursing having a short turnaround time. Ideally I would like to sit with the film for a week or two and then see the film a second time to see how I feel about it. Films like this, the one’s you can’t shake are the films that I search out since it means that it is more than the typical Hollywood fodder. You know the one’s that you watch, instantly forget and then want something else.

I suspect that I would have a better handle on the film if I would allow myself to really discuss the film, but I can’t do that. I don’t want to clue you into anything that happens, and most importantly I don’t want you to go in with any preconceived notions. I want you to go into the film and have it hit you in the face. I want you to go through the story unaware of what happens, and I want you to watch director Sarah Pirozek‘s artistry and see the work of someone to watch.

Go see #LIKE. It is playing this weekend at the Brooklyn Film Festival(tickets here) and then it will move out from there. I will not promise you that it is going to be the best film you see, hell I’m still working out my thoughts, but I will promise you that you will walk out feeling that you’ve seen something more than your run of the mill thriller.

For tickets and more information go here.

2 comments:

  1. Curious about how you feel it settled with you ultimately?
    sarah pirozek

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like the film more. Its actually very good. (though allow me to remind you that it's been 18 months and probably 1800 film since then so an absolute seep discussion is not going to be possible). Looking back at the film I realize that it highlights a problem with writing on film, which, is that when you watch a film for review it isn't always a clear path to the end. Because of how I am going to write on the film- as in try to be spoiler free often constrains how I see the film or think about it. I've noticed it a coupe of times this Covid year since it seems most films I'm seeing are either documentaries or from the thrillers/horror genre. I find that having to write and not say anything alters how I feel or keeps certain feelings caged up. Once I have written on the film and the was come down I find that my emotions good or bad are more clearly defined. THis creates a problem, especially for me which is once I've written and setted my emotions I'm often too far down the road to revisit the review. #Like is really good

      Delete