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Within this loud swirl of often insanely grotesque violence, the actors manage to find some character details. Yacoub is engaging as a young woman shattered by the death of her abusive husband, leaving conflicting emotions that emerge as a steely tenacity. Doohan is likeable as a traumatised young man who is afraid to stand up for others, but needs to find strength somewhere. Wright and Shand have a lot of fun as his extremely intense parents, while Davey steals the show as the persistently unhinged granny.

Because of the way the story is set up, none of these character nuances have anything to do with the events that transpire, so the film becomes almost a pastiche, with a random outside force magnifying this family's disfunction to mind-boggling heights. This gives the entire film an injection of blackly hilarious wit, even in its most gut-churningly hideous moments. And of course even if they have little context, buckets of blood are what the fans want.

themes, language, violence

7.Jul.26

There are enough serious moments to allow the actors to find meaningful edges in comical characters. Tohn and Podemski are excellent. And the eight floaters (played by Lewis, Bloomgarden, Ryan, Moskovitz, Brant, Jordyn and Zornosa) are distinct individuals, all confronting the gossip that swirls around the camp. And the so-called adults are still dealing with things from their childhood that haunt them. How all of these people find a voice is rather contrived, but the ensemble plays it in a way that's hugely engaging.

The script playfully swirls around the subtext in every conversation, and especially in Jonah's subversive play. He's the main kid in the film, and his journey involves a quest to define himself that's echoed in Nomi's plot thread. This hinges around the lifelong friendship she has with Mara and follows the expected trajectory through various highs and lows. And as ridiculous as it gets, this is a lovely celebration of learning to be comfortable in your own skin.

themes, language, violence

9.Jul.26

Performances have an open emotionality that is never sentimental. There's an edge of humour to each character that allows us deeper into their thoughts. Hasnat gives a remarkable full-bodied performance as the observant Ish, who feels everything intensely. His connections are powerfully resonant, including his friendship with Kitana's sparky but thoughtful Maram, interaction with the other boys and terrific bonds with Shah, Crookes and Bhuchar at home.

Most impressive is how Perretta paints this as a slice of life, never forcing a narrative while allowing the sharp topicality to rest in the everyday fabric. This is a knowing look at how global events affect everyone, shaping identities and relationships in ways we barely understand. It's also an inventive depiction of how modern life has changed the way we interact with each other, from the invasive tech deployed by plainclothes cops to the posturing we mimic from social media. And perhaps even more important is how the film reveals that all of us are in this together.

themes, language, violence

16.Jun.26