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| Edited By: Bryan Durham |Source: DNA |Updated: Apr 29, 2016, 11:20 PM IST
Film: 10 Cloverfield Lane
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Cast: John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher Jr
Michelle (Winstead) heads out of what is possibly a relationship waiting to end and an angry boyfriend (voiced by Bradley Cooper) at the other end of a phone call, into the night, into a haven of new possibilities. Except, the night brings her pain, paranoia, a psychopath and possibly, no escape from an underground bunker after a road accident.
The 'safe' haven is Howard's (Goodman) bunker at an address, which is also the film's title. Howard tells her the world has suffered a chemical attack. That it's not safe to breathe the air out there. That he's keeping her safe in there. She meets Emmett (Gallagher) who endorses Howard's intentions. Over time, she begins to suspect her captor's intentions and questions them repeatedly. At one point, she almost manages to escape, but thinks the better of it.
Within a terse two hours, she plans and decides what's better— staying in safety with her rather psychotic captor or taking her chances above ground.
As Howard, John Goodman's terrifyingly restrained performance is what keeps you hooked every scene he is in. Mary Elizabeth is, however, the beating heart of the film. She is the everywoman. Indeed, she is every victim of abusive control. She keeps the proceedings from getting campy in what should otherwise have been on an ignore-it list. In fact, the cast put together by first-time director Trachtenberg and veteran JJ Abrams, make the proceedings more claustrophobic than usual.
If you came in thinking it was a creature horror, you'll be sorely disappointed. It's a psychological horror, a genre rarely attempted and one that has seen far fewer successes. You need to be invested in what's happening at all times to truly enjoy this film. And if you have a problem with wandering attention, take a friend along to keep up.
The performances hold you captive. This one is reminiscent of Misery in a good way. Don't miss it.
