MOVIE REVIEW: NIGHT SWIN

 

Forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness, former baseball player Ray Waller moves into a new house with his wife and two children. He hopes that the backyard swimming pool will be fun for the kids and provide physical therapy for himself. However, a dark secret from the home's past soon unleashes a malevolent force that drags the family into the depths of inescapable terror.

Director: Bryce McGuire

Cast: Wyatt Russell, Kerry Condon, Amélie Hoeferle, Gavin Warren, Nancy Lenehan, Jodi Long

Release Date: January 5, 2024

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for terror, some violent content and language.

Runtime: 1h 38m

Night Swim has a fun concept paired with strong performances, particularly Kerry Condon, but the execution is little more than a bland, uninspired Amityville Horror knock off with a sprinkle of Cocoon for some reason.   Bryce McGuire's big screen debut, based on his short film, is initially intriguing as we are introduced to the general concept and central family.  A series of well staged jump scares provide the sort of scares you'd expect from a film of this ilk.  The issues start popping up fairly quickly there after as the script struggles to stretch the concept out for a full length feature.  The reveals are fairly uninspired, mostly consisting of well worn horror tropes that we've seen countless times before.  With few twist and turns there are telegraphed so loudly that you'd be hard pressed not to see them coming from a mile away.  Wyatt Russell and Kerry Condon play it deadly serious throughout which works better in the first half of the film before things get progressively more ridiculous as the family battles the evil pool.  Condon brings a level of commitment to the role which speaks to the level of talent she brings to the production even as she confidentially utters some unintentionally funny lines in the film's final act.  Russell is a solid screen partner early on but once he's overtaken by the evil his performance makes Jack Nicholson's Jack Torrance look like a study in subtly.  Amélie Hoeferle and Gavin Warren play the pair's children with both bringing an authentic air of sibling chemistry together which the film would have been wise to use to greater effect especially since there are slivers of interesting character traits for each.  As is, Night Swim will fall into the massive wasteland of utterly forgettable horror films dumped into January.

D+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN

 

On a remote island off the coast of Ireland, Pádraic is devastated when his buddy Colm suddenly puts an end to their lifelong friendship. With help from his sister and a troubled young islander, Pádraic sets out to repair the damaged relationship by any means necessary. However, as Colm's resolve only strengthens, he soon delivers an ultimatum that leads to shocking consequences.

Director: Martin McDonagh

Cast: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan

Release Date: October 21, 2022

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Rated R for language throughout, some violent content and brief graphic nudity.

Runtime: 1h 49m

Review:

The Banshees of Inisherin, the latest black comedy from Martin McDonagh, it’s a funny, compelling fable that's simplistic on the surface but one the will likely stick with you as you ruminate the meaning of it all.  McDonagh creates an authentic ecosystem of people and relationships that brings life to the mundane something he's done to great effect in previous films.  The script is sharply written with plenty of dialogue that pops off the screen which makes the character's interplay the film's highlights.  What's more impressive is that the story is thematically dense, functioning on multiple levels which leaves the door open for a multitude of metaphorical interpretations.  A strong script pair with excellent performances from its two leads makes this film incredibly watchable and easy to digest unlike the majority of awards fodder.  Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson reunite with McDonagh for the first time since they collaborated in 2008's In Bruges and again bringing out the best in each other.  Farrell and Gleeson have a natural chemistry together which serves as the film's life blood.  Farrell leaning into the happy go lucky attitude early on in order to watch him emotionally degrade as the film wears on.  Gleeson makes his character's stubbornness tangible as he drops hints desperation as he tackles his impending mortality.  They are fascinating throughout because they give you a real sense that there is so much more simmering under the surface for both men.  They deserve the lion's share of the credit here but supporting turns from Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan leave a memorable impression as well.  Fans of Martin McDonagh know that his film's use black comedy to explore larger issues and The Banshees of Inisherin does so in spades. 

A