I saw The Red Robin at a screening series in New York City a few weeks ago and it blind-sighted me in the most unnerving but satisfying way. The movie is many things, but first and foremost, a very intense and thought provoking psychological thriller that is heavy on atmosphere and mood, not unlike many of earlier Roman Polanski thrillers. It reminded me of Thomas Vinterberg's THE CELEBRATION in its protagonists relentless pursuit of his father over the course of an evening where a family has gotten together for its dying patriarch(the magnificent Judd Hirsch) final birthday. The skeletons that come out of the closet are anything but predictable and though the movie starts off a slow boil, once it gets cooking, it has you on edge wondering what may have happened to the children who grew up in this house with seemingly loving parents. Beyond the entertainment of the mystery, the film's incredibly timely and the broken/tormented hero, played with raw emotions by Ryan O'Nan, reminded me of another banished American of ill-repute-- Edward Snowden--and his disreputable pursuit to reveal the less than savory dealings of the shadowy US government. One can't help but draw these parallels which makes the movie even more unsettling. This is a terrific film and I really hope that it gets discovered by more than the indie audiences like the one I was in.
Review of Altered Minds
