CAM (2018)

Directed By: Daniel Goldhaber 
Written By: Isa Mazzei 
Story By: Daniel Goldhaber, Isa Mazzei & Isabelle Link-Levy 
Cinematography: Katelin Arizmendi 
Editor: Daniel Garber 


Cast: Madeline Brewer, Melora Hardin, Michael Dempsey, Patch Darragh, Imani Hakim, Samantha Robinson, Flora Diaz, Queii Tann 


An erotic webcam performer finds her followers stolen by a doppelganger who hijacks her channel, pushes the sexual envelope farther, and otherwise seems determined to destroy her life. Call it identity theft of a possibly supernatural kind.

This is a film that is truest entertaining and tired to give a glimpse into a sex workers life and livelihood without going so much the exploitation route.

Madeline Brewer plays the role as someone who is in control but still has a wonder about her as she does this business and seems to know that she is doing but also kind of wants to flirt and play at the edge and once she is pushed over it. That seems when she is ready to really take responsibility and total control. Brewer’s performance is extraordinary as most of the roles One has seen her play she is usually more on tougher roles and this is also one of the first times she has been more glamorous and softer physically. Though she walks away with this movie.

Some of the stronger scene are not so much more scary in a horror movie way or s but actually the emotional ones. Like where her family and friends find out about her cam girl job. Where as earlier in the film it shows her reuniting with an old friend who is doing manual labor and makes a point of the contrast between the two. Later at a party when her friend is there the friend seems more vain and judgemental which is a interesting comparison. Unfortunately it is only a moment and we never see it again.

The film makes a point that the greatest horror is that she is discovered and loses her identity. Where the cause behind it is never truly explained and seems more like a means to an end for this to happen and become more of a genre type film. Many people are comparing it to a BLACK MIRROR episode and one can see why, but this is a film that seeks to be a thriller all it’s own. Where the supernatural element just seems thrown in.

As we see the men who desire her are even more Scary then any supernatural force she might be facing. Who actually seem pretty simple in the end. Where her loyal customers you can’t help but wonder what makes them tick other than seeking power and for their ideal to be true and what they will do to keep it that way. Even if at first her shows are kind of light.

Which is truly one of the joys of this movie is trying to figure out what is happening and really anything can. As there are dangers around. Every corner it seems for her and very few people around who can help her who are either not seeking something or who she is hiding from and can’t run to for help. Even if the supernatural element seems kind of just there.

Though it introduces a kind of lore then abandons it quickly. Especially when it involves others and in fact seems to feed off of a top ten of sorts. Yet again is dropped whenever convenient and stays a mystery. Which works in horror films. As sometimes something anonymous is more scary then something being fully explained.

The film is partly based on the screenwriters experience as a cam girl. It would have been nice to show more of a cam girl’s life and experiences before going into the thriller aspect but this is not a documentary and gives a nice general overview.

Luckily any violence in the film is mostly fake or part of a fantasy. Until the end. This is a pretty solid thriller that should meet most audience members needs.

Grade: C+