The Critic (short) review

Plot: A new and accomplished actress (Stella Velon) undertakes an interview where she unwillingly confronts shades of her past.

This review is special because it was featured on the talented Stella Velon’s website available here, with the below being quoted, take a peek as it nicely sums up my views on the film.

Review: The Critic plays out as an intriguing look at a compelling character, showcasing a dark and daring study full of different complexities. These are shown in a build-up of tension between an actress and a harsh interviewer. It’s the perfect setup for an unpredictable climax.

The film pays homage to the life of an actress and the demanding pressures of being in and out of the spotlight. Her spotlight is revealed in an interview, which acts as a gradual echo of her internal struggles. The film knowingly steers away from other typical actors/actress depictions, such as 2014’s Wicked and Wild Birdman, and establishes itself as a character drama with a clearer identity. It carries out its messages with enough intrigue right to the end. The standout scene is the interview itself, which is lensed as if it was a stage performance, credit to cinematographer Akis Konstantakopoulos, who shades a dark light over the interviewer. With there only being two people in the interview, it’s shot to give direct focus on the actress. Capturing the feeling of angst we all have during real interviews, but in this case, it stands for a much deeper subtext.

The performance is led by 2nd time director ‘Stella Velon’, whose previous effort was 2017’s Stella. She has built up several acting credits to her name, including a role in the tv series Baskets with Zach Galifianakis. This is another fine addition to add to her resume. It’s a performance of uninsured confidence. She portrays an actress with an interesting and muddled past, showing glimpses of a thrust for career ambition, which is then met with an ongoing and frustrating inner dialect, that is challenged by the interviewer. This is 100% a pure character study that shares similar narrative threads from previous films, such as Whiplash (2014). Only this time, it aims to break the surface of the star persona, but its hints are far deeper than what we see in reality TV.

The dialogue of the interview is complex, yet it’s written to near perfection. It works both as an interview that goes wrong and as a real-life look into a murky portrayal of someone’s past. Whatever way you look at it, it deals with weighty themes. These include the clash of personal issues with maintaining a career. This is helped by the editing which keeps the visuals in place. Here, it’s handled by Ivan Andrijanic, who worked on the horror remake The Omen (2006).

The tension begins at the halfway mark. The use of music follows in the same pattern. The first half is intentionally more silent, saving its hits for the second half. The film touches on the idea of overcoming personal obstacles to achieve triumph, although, I don’t think that is what the film is truly about.

The film’s perfect title captures what the film is really about, without spoiling too much. On that note, it gets its messages across quite solidly. I cannot deny that this is an important film, with its commentary on celebrity status.

Its depiction of celebrity status is far more compelling and thought-provoking than any material I have ever come across. Despite a powerhouse climax, I do think some audiences may leave feeling emotionally frustrated. Yet, the film is still thought-provoking from beginning to end and for that, I give it credit.

Huge thank you for having this review featured in Stella Velon’s website available here

For anyone who is curious of watching the film, check out Amazon and Youtube for more details.

Author Bio

Sam is a content writer. He loves all elements connected with film and writes with passion, always. You can find him on his Linkedin, where you will be able to read more articles. When he is not writing, you can find him practicing football.