Have you heard of Jeremy Saulnier? No? Well familiarize yourself with him because he is one of the finest rising filmmakers around. A few years ago he wrote and directed the brilliant Blue Ruin and now he returns with the great Green Room. The film basically pits this young punk rock band against a group of Neo-Nazi’s, with Sir Patrick Stewart as their leader.
Music Is Shared Live
One of my favorite aspects of this film have to be the visuals. Sean Porter is the cinematographer, and to him I say “Bravo sir”. So many of the shots in the film were not only interesting, but very experimental. You do not see shots like these in your mainstream films, so it is refreshing to see someone taking chances. Along with the great camerawork, the actors themselves did a fantastic job. I cannot say that anyone was bad in the film, because everyone impressed me. Whether it be someone with a small role, or a big one, every actor delivered a solid performance. Of course there are some stand outs, but the one that really stood out for me is Sir Patrick Stewart. Dear lord that man can act. How he can switch from Charles Xavier to someone like this is beyond me. He was both despicable and charming at the same time, which was a delight to watch on screen. Now I have both good things and bad things to say in regards to the plot, so I will start off with the good and pick up with the bad below. There is a refreshing amount of realism in this film. When the band was stuck in the situation they were (I am being as vague as possible so I can avoid spoilers) I could not think of anything else for them to do than what they did. They were in a tough situation and the only way out meant having them make some stupid decisions. Like in the real world, these decisions had major consequences. As a friend pointed out, both sides made some stupid decisions. Which is really quite great. No one is perfect, and this film showed how not matter who you are, you will make mistakes which will come at a price.
Let Him Bleed
While I am praising the plot for its realism, there are parts in the third act that are not quite as realistic. Characters make certain decisions that are odd, but also make sense when you think about it. Again, I do not want to spoil what this is, but all you need to know is that something happens which took me out of the film a bit. Other than that, I thought the plot was quite solid. I did have some problem with other aspects of the writing because it was sometimes a bit confusing to understand exactly what was going on. It began to make sense when I thought about it afterwards, but I am still not too sure that my logic is sound.
Closing Remarks
Not an especially long review, but there is not much more to say. This is a great film that challenges both its characters and audience members. I do have one warning: Do Not Watch This Film On A Full Stomach. I have seen some disturbing films, but this one made me look away on several occasions. Believe me when I tell you that this is one gory film.