mel-336
Nerve is a new Aussie independent feature that is well worth checking out! It has uncovered great new talent in the film's director and the two leads who play Jakob and Grace. The film is a successful moody, dark take on one man's obsession to discover the identity of his dead wife's lover and is certainly an entertaining ride! Both the cinematography and musical score are fantastic and underpins the narrative fabulously. It is great to see inner city Sydney appear in the film in a gritty, dark way and becoming like another character in the film. Nerve also has a supporting cast featuring well known faces like Gary Sweet and Cameron Daddo but the stand out is Georgina Haig who plays Grace who is luminous on screen and delivers a strong performance through out alongside Christian Clark's Jakob. Following the screenings at this year's Sydney Film Festival, there were some less than positive reviews about the film which was surprising to read, as Nerve overall is bold debut. It is not a flashy, big budget film but a local, quiet achiever that slowly draws you in and keeps you guessing.
caleigh-cheung
A man Jakob Evans played by Christian Clark is determined to find closure after he discovers his wife, who is tragically killed in a car accident had been having an affair. First time feature director, Sebastien Guy cleverly guides the audience through Jakob's tangled journey as he becomes more and more obsessed about his former wife's mystery lover and embarks on a mission to discover this man's identity and track him down. Unable to live surrounded by reminders of his wife in the home they shared, Jakob rents a room in a seedy share house with a disturbed junkie-ish girl Grace (Georgina Haig) whom he befriends and enlists to help him. The pieces of the puzzle come together bit by bit throughout the film, resulting in a fascinating twist at the end. It can be likened to Christopher Nolan's Momento both in mood and narrative, and like Momento, there are a lot of questions and answers which aren't served on a platter which only adds to the intrigue.
Craig Priddle
An engrossing, intriguing and most importantly, entertaining little film from first time feature director Sebastien Guy.We follow the main character, Jakob Evans, on his obsessive search for closure after the accidental death of his adulterous wife and the impact this has on others, most notably a young woman, Grace. His relationship with her, not an easy one by any means, is beautifully portrayed by the two leads.Recurring images help convey the broken mind and shattered world of Jakob Evans (Christian Clark) and when his reality crosses over into the world of others, it is engrossing to watch. It has a bit of the feeling of 'Memento' about it, which puts it in good company.The story is an intense and intimate drama, and we are taken on a journey around and inside a different Sydney from that which tourists usually see. The cinematography is superb and I personally hope the soundtrack is made available for purchase. Guy has put together a rather delicious package full of visual and auditory treats that compliment each other.Another of the treats is the casting. Gary Sweet delivers as part of a strong supporting cast to the two main characters and Georgina Haig is superb in what could have been a clichéd role. Definitely worth putting some money on her having a big career in the future.Definitely worth the time if you get the chance.
Edwina Hayes
I saw this very impressive debut feature at the Sydney Film Festival on a cold winters night. The moody soundtrack was superb and really helped create intrigue in the opening sequences . I wasn't really sure where it was headed and I liked the fact that things were revealed gradually and gave the audience some thinking space.What also worked really well was the fact that Sydney was very much a generic city in the way it was photographed so it really felt like you could have been anywhere. This helped to immerse you in the character's world. I think for this reason it could do well on the international stage.The performances were great and I really liked the way the minor characters were weaved into the story.What an amazing outcome for a film shot in a couple of weeks on a tiny budget. This director is definitely a guy (excuse the pun) to watch.I'd say he has a big future in Hollywood along with his DP James L Brown!!Someone in the audience asked if the soundtrack would become available and I think the filmmakers are working on that now which will be great...
AD
