RED ROAD (2006)

Directed By: Andrea Arnold
Written By: Andrea Arnold
Based On Characters By: Lone Scherfig & Anders Thomas Jensen
Cinematography By: Robbie Ryan
Editor: Nicholas Chaudeurge

Cast: KAtie Dickie, Tony Curran, Natalie Press, Martin Compston, Paul Higgins


This is the type of film that sneaks up on you thoughit made a splash at the cannes film festival the year it was released even winning an award. i didn't discover it until the director's second film FISH TANK. blew me away. now after watchingthis film it is clear she is on the road to being a definite presence in the filmmaking world for quite some time. her films are challenging not in a in your face type wayor hard to sit through way, but a you can tell that there is alotof thought and passion going into the work. Irented this more on a whim then anything.

though this film is kind of cold in it's treatment of it's charactersand surroundings at first it quickly let's you in to get to know them. when the film begins it seems like a cold and clinical drama. Then as the film goes on, soon it seems like it is going to be a obsessive relationship drama. Soon it turns into what might be a thriller before the ending when all is revealed and prettymuch floors you. the film is a mystery that you never expect along the way you start to begin to piece things together to understand the characters and situations. pretty soon you are putting together the puzzle pieces, in the end you are rewarded by everything being revealed to you.That makes you want to watch the film all over again to watch it to see if now that you know everything are there clues or does it make the viewing experience different. Not,in a cheap M. Night Shamalayan cheap effect way. morein a dramtic real way.

The cast are all excellent especially the leads. Katie Dickie who has a rare emotional bravery on screen. Though she is a small woman. She can be both regular and sexy in a second, but in a regular girl type of way. Tony Curran as her obsession is not that great in the looks department but he totally sells his sex appeal as the troubled bad boy who can be sweet then a brute the next minute. He is scary like a feral animal than has been taught to walk upright.

The film takes place in scotland, but thankfully because of the thick accents it comes with subtitles. So you can understand everything that is being said. trust me this is a film where you don't want to miss a thing.Tthough more is said in glances, reactions and emotions more then dialogue.

As usual this is a film that is best to go into blind.

The film is about a woman who works security in her village watching video monitors she feels she is protecting the citizens and getting a peek inside their lives and getting to know them. then one day she see's a man on her monitor a man she instantly becomes obsessed with looking for him on the videos then physically following him afraid to confront him at first she makes her way into his life. that is when the trouble begins.

This is definately a film to check out. i can't say how enjoyable it is but it is a film that will make you think. Definately a film to add to your home library.

GRADE: A-




SPOILER
It ends up being a revenge movie butone that seemsto lose it's nerve on the path for a more emotional melodramatic understanding.