Ron’s Review

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I really liked this. It’s a very quiet movie with just a handful of characters. Nothing extravagant but very real and believable. Eva Victor wrote, directed and starred in the film, having been encouraged by Barry Jenkins.

Victor is incredible in this. A very realistic and human performance. She has great timing and her expressions are incredibly natural.

The story isn’t an easy one but I like that Victor doesn’t show any of the horrible stuff. I’m a chicken when it comes to these scenes and I actually think the protagonist describing what happened felt more horrifying than seeing it.

But the hardest part of this film is how little help the protagonist gets. And that made me so angry. The injustice of it all. The film takes time to dwell on those aspects and that made the narrative much more powerful for me.

There was one scene that felt a little silly and needless. I get why it was in there but I didn’t think it was as well done as the rest of the film. Still, it’s one blip in an otherwise engrossing slice of terrible human life story.

I do want to talk about Naomi Ackie. She plays the best friend but she’s such a wonderful character. Her character has made something of herself, found love and family, but she still makes time for her friend who really needs her and misses her. She’s such a champion of the protagonist and an all-round lovely character. The scenes without her felt lacking. She had such a presence, so joyful yet comforting. I would have loved to see much more of her in this film.

This isn’t the easiest film to watch but it’s surprisingly hopeful considering the subject matter. And the final scene encapsulates that in a very simple but effective way.

Mon’s Review

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Wow, this was quite surprising. Can’t believe it’s gone completely under the radar. This is a beautifully told story of survival. The characters are so arresting. Agnes is snarky and funny, but writer-director and star Eva Victor always makes sure to remind the viewer that Agnes has experienced something and has to survive that experience everyday.

The character of Lydie, played by Naomi Ackie, has got to be the most wonderful character ever. She is sweet and kind and loving. She’s not over the top and knows how to give people space, but she’s incredible. Everyone needs a Lydie in their lives.

I was concerned about watching yet another story about sexual assault — this stuff is often handled poorly in entertainment media. But that’s certainly not the case here. Told through a powerful performance and great writing and directing, none of it is gratuitous or unbelievable.

This was a lovely film about a heavy topic. But it’s about so much more than what happened to the character.