Director Rebecca Eskreis doesn’t pussyfoot around when it comes to building tension, creating ambiguity, and keeping us on our toes wondering “Is it live or is it Memorex”… or in the case of CLEARMIND, virtual reality. From the opening moments of the film, bringing together the best elements of a psychological thriller with a dash of hack and slash, a frightening touch of sci-fi, and some very dark comedic tones, Eskreis explores trauma and grief along with the inherent range of emotions, individual memory perception, and more. With a deft hand, and thanks to a well-crafted script and some standout performances, she takes us on an unsettling and unforgettable ride.
Written by Seana Kofoed, CLEARMIND wastes no time in setting the stage with a tragic event. Hurried and unclear as to exactly what exactly is happening at what was a happy Labor Day party at the home of Nora and her husband Michael, in the blink of an eye terror takes hold and slo-motion suspends not only the audience in the moment but Nora who is frozen in horror at what is unfolding.
Fast forward one year and we find Nora engaging in virtual reality therapy with her best friend Lily who is working towards certification in therapeutic healing for trauma patients. It doesn’t take long for us to see that Lily has not yet perfected the virtual reality technique, nor her understanding of it, while Nora has more than her share of doubts that it is helping her. As BFFs will do even in a “professional” setting, Nora is venting about now ex-husband Michael and how he has moved on from last year’s tragic accidental drowning of their daughter; in fact, Nora is more than vexed that all of her friends, even Lily, have moved on from last year’s tragedy with no regard for what happened or how Nora feels. And when Lily lets it slip that the old gang, including Michael and his new lady Shelby, will be gathering in the mountains for this Labor Day weekend, Nora’s tone turns dark with shades of vengeance and revenge growing strong as Lily tells her that she wasn’t invited.
Gathering at the lakeside mountain getaway of Shannon and Tom, the group starts straggling in; the same group that was at last year’s pool party gathering sans Nora. As each appears, we get a clearer picture of who they are, their personalities, and what happened last year. Shelby is just this side of her teens and has some less than conventional ideas about life be it human or animal. Shannon clearly wears the pants in her marriage to Tom. Michael’s lack of backbone and his apparent avoidance of emotion over his daughter’s death show that he has not truly moved on. Kate comes across as someone who’s either missing a few of her marbles or under the influence of who knows what. Gary is Lily’s “sim” assistant with the VR treatment.
But what happens when Nora appears claiming that Lily invited her? Not only does the level of discomfort among these long-time friends escalate, but Nora’s veiled threats and comments go from sarcastic to worrisome, particularly when she reveals that she found a glitch in Lily and Gary’s sim program and is now controlling the VR program. With strange things happening and enough causal ambiguity to go around, Lily assures everyone that whatever they think is happening is not and that she is still “the host” in control of Nora’s VR world. But are they in Nora’s VR world fantasy or the real world? And what happens when the truth about her daughter’s death comes to light?
CLEARMIND would not be as intriguing as it is without the strength of this ensemble starting with Rebecca Creskoff who is perfect as Nora. She turns on a dime and takes sarcasm and deadpan to new heights, especially when we get to the third act and all hell breaks loose. Thanks to Creskoff, we empathize with Nora’s pain and understand her want for revenge. By the same token, we appreciate and welcome Nora’s dark sarcastic humor. Creskoff does an amazing job here. And dare I say that she looks very at ease with a woodman’s axe in her hand.
As Shannon, Toks Olagundoye is an annoying delight while Kadeem Hardison is ideal as put-upon husband Tom, adding levity that balances the dark undertones of Nora and her grief. Seana Kofoed has not only written a delicious script but is hilarious as the fast-talking nervous Nellie, Kate. , Jenn Lyon brings a carefree freshness to the table as both a BFF and a questionable “health care professional” in Lily while Rob Benedict is solid as Nora’s ex-husband Michael, showing insecurity and vulnerability while tending to his wants. As Gary, Alec Mapa is just a joy to see amidst the madness.
From a production standpoint, location is everything to the strength of the film’s visual tonal bandwidth. And thanks to cinematographer Alexa Wolf, lensing is crisp, sharp, and saturated with the vibrancy of the wooded lakeside location. Wolf brings a richness to the visuals that mirrors the vibrancy of Nora’s revenge. Framing continually puts us within the group as a whole, until we start to see someone get pulled away from the group or venture on their own in which case, framing tightens and tension builds. And the nighttime shots are stunners. Beautifully shot on all levels.
Gordon Grinberg’s editing keeps us on our toes and the edge of our seats from beginning to end as we build to the climactic third act when all hell breaks loose. Cuts are smooth yet rapier and build on one another. As with the cinematography, everything is clean and unmuddied so that the story and performances can play out unfettered.
CLEARMIND is a welcome addition to the cinematic landscape with a fresh and unique approach to storytelling blending various genres into a darkly comedic yet suspenseful and thought-provoking commentary on grief, reality, and revenge-fueled fantasy.
Directed by Rebecca Eskreis
Written by Seana Kofoed
Cast: Rebecca Creskoff, Toks Olagundoye, Rob Benedict, Kadeem Hardison, Jessica Meraz, Jenn Lyon, Alec Mapa, Seana Kofoed, Matt Peters, Bobby August Jr.
by debbie elias, 12/25/2023
CLEARMIND is available on all digital platforms on January 11, 2024.
