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Freeze Frame
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by First Look Pictures
Sales Rank: 61411
Price: $13.49
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This UK-Ireland film (shot in Ireland) has one of the most stunning visuals and ingenious camerawork I ever seen recently, but the film's convoluted story is so far-fetched and even preposterous, that I started to care less and less about the `truths' behind the mystery, and wanted to know more about the strange lifestyle of the wrongly (?) accused hero played by Lee Evans. Yes, it is Lee Evans, best known as stand-up comic. <br /> <br />Lee Evans is cast against type and does a serious role, and provides a surprisingly strong performance as Sean Veil, who was once accused of the brutal murders of a mother and two daughters. After being nearly convicted, Sean has been traumatized since the scandal that tainted his reputation, and he adapts a new way to defend himself from further possible accusations, shooting the pictures of his own life on video around the clock. He literally keeps taping his life every minute, even when he is outside his tightly-guarded dungeon-like flats. <br /> <br />After leading his life for ten years in this way, tormented by paranoia, Sean becomes a suspect for another murder case again. Sean must confront the same detective who arrested him ten years ago, and the same profiler who still believes firmly that Sean is the killer of the unsolved murders. <br /> <br />The film's story is initially intriguing with the striking visual flair effectively using CCTV cameras. But the story about the lonely life of the obsessive hero soon gets lost among the narrative confusion and impossible motives and behaviors of the characters, leaving us with too many questions that would not be answered. In the latter half the film gets too busy showing twists and turns, which are too many to most of us, and these overwritten mysteries finally make the eccentric behaviors of central character Sean look more risible than understandable. <br /> <br />Lee Evans who actually shaved his head and eyebrows, gives a credible portrait of the one who is driven to paranoia, and the first-time director John Simpson shows stylish camera work, but the overcooked scenario becomes rather silly especially in the last chapters. It is a shame that `Freeze Frame' fails to live up to its potentially intriguing story about paranoia and the talent of Lee Evans.
Viewer Reviews
Despite the macabre/insane premise of this film, I have to say that I found it hilarious in parts. The satirical part of it will escape many and understandably so; the performance by Lee Evans gives the impression of a person who is no longer human at all but a hunted, wounded animal careening around and looking for an exoneration that won't matter in the end, and does it agonizingly well.
To enjoy this you have to throw out all realism: how the hell would Veil even be able to afford all this technology, if he's just some regular guy who gets accused of murder? The terrifying paranoia of the entire thing
is brought home with a delivery that transcends realism--the atmosphere of subjective strangulation is at times palpable.
The ending is sort of disappointing but in some ways exactly what you wouldn't expect--all this twisting and bending of events for a benign (or as benign as it can be in the circumstances) conclusion?
I chuckle even thinking about this movie. A novel, unique exercise in what the powers that can inflict on someone.
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Freeze Frame
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