Exhausting, depressing, haunting are just a few words to describe Mass, which incredible performances will stay with you for days, making it a very memorable watch. Read more in our review below:
Years after an unspeakable tragedy tore their lives apart, two sets of parents (played by Jason Isaacs and Martha Plimpton and Reed Birney and Ann Dowd respectively) agree to talk privately in an attempt to move forward. In Fran Kranz’s writing and directing debut, he thoughtfully examines their journey of grief, anger and acceptance by coming face-to-face with the ones who have been left behind.
Fran Kranz‘s directorial debut, which he also wrote and produced, premiered at this years Sundance Film Festival and gained major critical acclaim and awards buzz, especially for the 4 leading actors. After it didn’t found a distributor for quite a while, Bleecker Street will bring it into theatres this week.
Mass Tackles Difficult Material
The film is about a meeting of two pairs of parents after an horrible event. One son killed the other in a school shooting. A heavy and timely subject matter, that is explored in a stage play like chamber play, as basically the entire film takes place in one room, with only 3 sets in total. The official synopsis says:
Mass is carried by its 4 leading actors, who deliver absolutely stellar performances. Martha Plimpton and Ann Dowd constantly top one another with every emotional dialogue they have. Jason Isaac delivers a career best performance, with some really emotional scenes. Reed Birney plays the most stable character, but also gets the big emotional monologue.
The film falls a bit victim to its strength. The heavy subject matter, performances and general atmosphere are really depressing and exhausting to watch and the film is simply to long. It should have been 90 minutes and done, but instead it chooses to include some very unnecessary and uncomfortable scenes with side characters that happen to be in the same building where the conversation takes place, that just stretched the film too long, that at one point I just wanted it to end.
Mass is a true acting showcase as the 4 leads deliver possible best of the year performances, but falls victim to its runtime and slow editing.
3,5/5
Mass hits theatres October 8, 2021. It is written and directed by Fran Kranz and stars: Jason Isaac, Martha Plimpton, Ann Dowd and Reed Birney.
What do you guys think? Are you planning to watch it? Have you seen it already, if so how did you like it? Let’s discuss everything in the comments down below and on our Twitter.
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