Manodrome

Manodrome is a 2023 drama thriller film written and directed by John Trengove. It stars Jesse Eisenberg, Adrien Brody, Odessa Young, Sallieu Sesay, Philip Ettinger, Ethan Suplee, Evan Jonigkeit and Caleb Eberhardt. The film is Trengove's English language debut and premiered at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival on February 18, 2023.  It is scheduled to be released by Lionsgate in the United States on November 10, 2023.

Premise 
Ralphie, a New York Uber driver, is struggling to make ends meet with his pregnant partner, Sal. Ralphie is introduced to an intense all-male self-help group by a friend, and after suffering a breakdown, he descends into madness.

Cast
 Jesse Eisenberg as Ralphie
Adrien Brody as Dan
 Odessa Young as Sal
 Sallieu Sesay as Ahmet
 Philip Ettinger as Jason
 Ethan Suplee as Leo
 Evan Jonigkeit as Brad
 Caleb Eberhardt as Aaron
 Georghe Murressean as Sachiel

Production 

The film is Trengove's English language debut. Riley Keough was initially cast as Sal, but departed the role due to schedule conflicts. She remains attached to the film as a producer.

Casting for extras occurred in November 2021. Principal photography took place in Syracuse, New York from November 21, 2021 to  January 4, 2022, under the shooting title, "Untitled  Rust Belt".

Release 

Manodrome had its world premiere at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival and screened February 18, 2023 in the opening weekend of the Main Competition. The film was nominated for the prestigious Golden Bear, in addition to the Teddy Award for Queer Cinema. It is scheduled to be released in the United States by Lionsgate Films in theaters and digital on November 10, 2023.

Reception 
 

The Playlist labeled the film as the "Best Eisenberg offering in over a decade." Chris Barsanti of Slant Magazine praised Trengove for his cinematic craftsmanship, stating "While Trengrove’s skill is apparent in the slow build of tension, it truly stands out in the arguably more impressive way he holds Ralphie’s view of the world separate from that of the film’s." Awards Daily called the film "A thought-provoking piece of queer filmmaking that should not be missed." Deadline compared the film to Taxi Driver, writing that its tone and brutal treatment of male violence may not appeal to everyone. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film tackles themes of toxic masculinity and power dynamics in relationships through a story of a men's retreat, but its execution is too extreme, and the depiction of a poisonous cult of men whose entitlement is matched by their sense of victimhood can be shocking to some. David Rooney wrote that Jesse Eisenberg's performance as the tightly coiled Ralphie is compelling and "generally rises above the lofty self-seriousness of a movie that aims to sound the death knell on toxic masculinity."

Variety's Peter Debruge wrote that Manodrome struggled to live up to its provocative premise, lacking the depth and nuance needed to effectively explore the state of contemporary masculinity, saying, "The characters feel thin, the secret society seems implausible and its goals too vague to capture the imagination." Writing for Cineuropa, Davide Abbatescianni described the film's final result as a "captivating pastiche made up of thriller, psychological drama and surreal comedy tropes, filled with crazy twists and turns...This hodgepodge may be amusing or fascinating to some, but frustrating to others. That being said, viewers certainly should not expect a serious treatment of any of the themes this movie aims to broach," he warned.

Collider review, titled "Jesse Eisenberg Struggles With Inner Rage in Raw Deconstruction of Masculinity," said that Manodrome may have its imperfections, but it offered a thoughtful exploration of toxic masculinity and its impact, as well as a strong warning about the dangers of enabling broken men. It writes, "it serves as a gritty character study where Eisenberg can flex some new acting muscles. Add the always-reliable Brody to the mix, and it’s easy to forgive Manodrome imperfections."

References

External links
 

2023 films
2020s English-language films
2020s American films
2023 thriller films
American thriller films
British thriller films
2020s British films