"And if the cherry does something you don't like... shoot"

Rating: 9/10 (25 April 2019)

The story of Green Room directed by Jeremy Saulnier is about a group of punk kids in a band called The Ain't Rights" endlessly determined but down on their luck, thrown into a situation that is completely out of their element. The cast and band includes Anton Yelchin, Joe Cole, Alia Shawkat, and Callum Turner. They all encapsulate their character very well and all have their own quirks and rebel attitude The movie is always unexpecting and Saulnier takes it to a level of believability with its utter brutalism, character interactions and the routine of a largely neo-Nazi club when a girl is murdered at the club. The characters intensity and impulsiveness during several key moments makes it feel all the more real. The clunky dialogue and clearly strung out disposition of the actors do a great job trying to cope with their current situation shouting out a bit of their personality with every line. But ultimately their band is outnumbered and betrayed to. The performances across the board are great and you get an understanding of what their like even at the very beginning. You can see who stands out and who stays more in the shadows.
Green Room's directing which is my favorite of Saulnier's filmography has slow moving camera-work that usually mirrors the character's movements directly behind them or over-top. There's sweeping shots to show the progression of characters riding to a parking lot to siphon out gas. The camera seems to push through the grass when they lay down the bike down and run up to the car. The bird's eye view of the car driving through a highway along the ocean feels so alive and visceral. Then again towards the end when the characters finally escape from that place it feels like we're getting a breath of fresh air and that vast green landscape that seemed so far away comes flooding back. The way he's able to create such a bleak view of an isolated punk club amongst this vast luscious landscape is a feat. Even similar to Jordan Peel's direction with Us he's able to bring tension to a place like the beach or for Saulnier the forest. He brings this world to such a point of realism that when Alia Shawkat's character Sam leaves her charging phone in the backroom and discovers a dead body the tone and undertones of music bring it crashing down. We are right alongside her and her desperate plants of escaping. She obviously tries to call the cops right away but is stopped by one of the skinheads and trapped with people who they have no idea of what they're capable of. The aspirations of the band and everything we once knew are thrown to the wayside and their forced to deal with the situation right in front of them. Joe Cole's character Reece especially steps up the plate and tries to do what he can to hold a large man down. The other band-mates are losing it. They're stripped of the facade they've been portraying to keep with their punk roots and what they stand for. The overlapping chatter, and the frantic nature of it all is captured extremely well. The directing feels so effortless and continually flowing to the point where I forget there's someone behind the camera. It doesn't needlessly draw attention to certain aspects/characters because the interactions unfold on their own.
Patrick Stewart as the lead of this cult has a commanding presence. He's well mannered and vulnerable. His true colors and the frustration he feels comes through.. Stewart's lingo along with the other members of his organization is sometimes alarming but always feels common to the other character. Even when what he's saying is blatantly racist and further delves into a world rarely shown on film. Stewart never has a true moment of completely breaking down when he keeps losing men. Like so many other Hollywood flicks. It separates him from the crowd and becomes unbelievable intimidating even when his more human side is shown. Like when he asks the group trapped in the room to elect one voice to speak and to speak softly because his voice is getting hoarse. It's almost awkwardly funny in a way but that inescapable tension remains.
Anton Yelchin as the eventual lead in one of his last rolls is a trembling, terrified kid. His shaky somewhat raspy voice really personifies the fear that must be rushing through his veins. You feel for these passionate punks who clearly have a message and love what they do. Their facades start to break and that once impenetrable wall crumbles. I've never seen a movie that tackles such an immense topic of adolescents trapped in a room with a dead body with a realistic human element as well. Imogen Poots as well has plenty to offer. Her slick delivery, slouched disposition and slower movement adds to her overall character and ultimately makes her a force to be reckoned with. She knows more about the current situation overtime than anyone involved and it's smartly revealed to us. Plus the recurring theme of "desert island bands" that the band jokes about at first and can't come to a conclusion about it, makes for a very satisfying closing scene that I won't spoil. In conclusion. I'm always discovering more about a world that feels so scarily tangible with it's themes, violence and dialogue. I hope that Jeremy Saulnier continues to make films that push the envelope, warrant repeated viewings and delve into worlds/characters that are rarely shown. It's a film that I highly recommend.