Sympathy Milks Thrills From an Ultra-Low Budget
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Sympathy is an example of effective indie filmmaking, combining three actors and one set with a twist-filled screenplay. It’d be even BETTER as a play, but it still stands out regardless.
Written by James "Crypticpsych"Lasome
May 16, 2011
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Release: 2007-8 (Festivals), April 27, 2010 (US DVD)
Directed by: Andrew Moorman
Written by: Arik Martin
Starring:
Marina Shtelen as Sara
Aaron Boucher as Dennis
Steven Pritchard as Trip
Sympathy wastes no time and throws the viewers right into a very simple story made complex by the characters’ interactions. In essence, Trip (Pritchard) has kidnapped Sara (Shtelen) as his hostage after a bank robbery. He’s taken her to a hotel and cuffed her to the bed with military grade, unpickable handcuffs. His plan is to drive with her to Canada the following morning where a plane is waiting for him to make his escape. Unfortunately, Sara seems to have no intention of “going quietly”. This already volatile situation is made worse after Trip leaves the hotel room and returns to discover that an escaped convict named Dennis (Boucher) has gotten into the room and has NO intention of leaving of his own accord. Three adversaries, one hotel room: who will survive the night?
Sympathy was made for a budget of approximately $6,500. While that might seem like a substantive amount of money, it’s startlingly cheap for a feature-length film. However, one of the best aspects of the film is the fact that, looking at the finished product, the viewer would assume it cost so much more. The movie was filmed in a constructed hotel room built in an Indiana barn that is so convincing that I truly thought it was a real hotel room until I looked at IMDb after viewing. The acting in Sympathy is also decent and its story and characters are twist-filled and engaging.
�The setting and atmosphere in Sympathy are near-perfect, partially from the believability of the set and partially from the intensity of the script and character interactions. The entire story takes place in the same hotel room (and a little in its bathroom). Characters may leave the room, but we never see where they go as all the “action” takes place in the one location. Whether the characters are cuffed in place, locked in the bathroom, or on the run from prison, a significant amount of tension comes from the simple fact that none of them can easily leave where they are. Beyond that, the script is loaded with twists, turns, and the question of just how much any one of the characters can trust either or both of the other two. Adding a gun and a knife to the story only increases the suspense as does the fact that every one of the characters is, in their own individual ways, extraordinarily manipulative so that even the VIEWER never really knows what’s going on.
The performances of all three actors are suitably intense and also uniquely individual. Shtelen’s “Sara” and Boucher’s “Dennis” are particular stand outs. Shtelen portrays a multitude of character traits including fear, intelligence, strength, level-headedness… she even manages to be seductive (not an easy feet while handcuffed to a headboard). Boucher, on the other hand, offers a very interesting take on a criminal in that he’s surprisingly relatable and understated. However, the script is smart enough to make it very clear just how unstable he is, reminding the viewer that it could be a significant mistake to fully trust him. His only real issue is a slight tendency to mumble his lines. Pritchard’s “Trip” isn’t bad, he’s just outshined significantly by his counterparts.
When Sympathy ended, though, I found myself feeling something was missing. After thinking about it, the problem came to me: this film would probably have been better served as a stage play. While it is interesting and fitting that the movie should take place in one location, the performances are a bit “theatrical”. There is a distinct sense that they can go over-the-top, hurting the overall product. The ability to see the entire room at one time, as one would in a play, may serve the story even better. Finally, in a problem unrelated to my “play” theory, while I enjoyed the tense storyline there might’ve been a twist or two too many. By my count, starting with the sudden appearance of Dennis, there was something like 5 to 7 twists in the story! The idea holds itself together well enough that it doesn’t need that! True, they all make sense, but there can be too much of a good thing. Oh, and no… I have no idea why the movie is called Sympathy.
Overall, Sympathy is a prime example of an indie thriller done effectively on a budget that far worse big-screen films would laugh at. It’s decently acted and has a great intense and claustrophobic atmosphere. Some of the flaws could possibly have been minimized in a “play” format, but overall it’s a compelling story that is definitely worth a look.
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