Indie Gems: Complete Unknown

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Who do you want to be?

It's Tom's (Michael Shannon) birthday and his wife Ramina, (Azita Ghanizada) has organized a get together with their closest friends. They're at a bit of a crossroads. Tom wants to stay in New York City to follow up with a proposition he made at work. Ramina was accepted into a program in California to further her jewelry business. When his friend/coworker Clyde, (Michael Chernus) invites a woman named Alice (Rachel Weisz) that he met in a cafeteria. Tom realizes he knew her from before, but her name was Jenny and she was nothing like the woman that stands before him.

I have to admit I was a little mislead by Netflix on this one. I expected it to be somewhat of a thriller, where we learn why Alice does what she does and that there would be something sinister behind that. It's nothing like that at all. Alice is up front on why she changes identities so freely. The film stops short of saying she has some type of dissociative identity disorder, but it makes you wonder.

That's what I liked the most about the film. It makes you wonder what it would feel like to be someone in one profession for a short amount of time, then leave. Shed your skin, and become someone new. Alice is practically a paper doll with how often she changes. It makes you almost afraid for Tom, who I didn't want to live that life. 

It's a slower film, but Shannon and Weisz make for intriguing leads. I could watch Shannon in anything. 

Grade: B-

Watched on: DVD

Memorable Quote: "Now you see how easy it is?" - Alice (Rachel Weisz)

Comments

  1. Often Off TopicFebruary 10, 2017 at 9:45 AM

    Ah, this was definitely starting to sound like a thriller! Glad to hear it's still worth a watch though, I've seen so few Michael Shannon movies and I need to change that :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. s.February 10, 2017 at 12:40 PM

    I wanted to see this because Rachel is an incredibly charismatic actress and I love Shannon but I was hoping for something dark and sinister...but I'm still gonna see this one

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamFebruary 10, 2017 at 1:26 PM

      I expected it to be that way too, but it wasn't. Still, it asks a lot of interesting questions.

      Delete
  3. msmariahFebruary 10, 2017 at 6:26 PM

    Will have to check this out on Netflix. SOmetimes I feel like Netflix is slow to post new films, then they surprise me.

    Shannon can do no wrong. I will watch this film just for him. Now that I think about it I haven't seen Rachel Weisz in a while. Where has she been?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamFebruary 11, 2017 at 6:42 AM

      I think Netflix isn't allowed to put movies on DVD until they've been out to rent for about a month or so? At least that's what I've noticed.

      Delete
  4. AnonymousFebruary 10, 2017 at 7:07 PM

    Oh I don't know how this one slipped by me, thanks for calling it to my attention. Sounds promising.

    ReplyDelete
  5. keith71_98February 12, 2017 at 11:42 AM

    Really like the cast. Why on earth haven't I heard of this one? I think I need to see it.

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamFebruary 13, 2017 at 11:21 AM

      It must have gotten a really crappy theatrical release. I just happened to see it browsing through DVDs on Netflix.

      Delete
  6. KatyFebruary 12, 2017 at 11:59 AM

    Nice review! I checked this out last year and felt a bit of the same way, and thought it might be more of a thriller. The pace wasn't too bad though. Weisz and Shannon made a great duo.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamFebruary 13, 2017 at 11:20 AM

      They did. They must have really advertised this wrong if so many of us were expecting a thriller.

      Delete

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