Sundance 2021 Reviews Day 7

Sundance has finally finished, but I still have two final films to give you my thoughts on! I think I set a personal record this year for films watched at 22 (I'd have to check, but I think my previous best was 20). It was great to be able to see so many from the comfort of my home, but I definitely missed the atmosphere of the Sundance venues and seeing things with my fellow film lovers.

ON THE COUNT OF THREE

Two best friends make a suicide pact that by the end of the day, this will be their last day on earth and that they'll each kill the other. This film has a very dark concept and certainly isn't for everyone. There is a lot of heavy subject matter covered here, but surprisingly the film does have its moments of levity to it while the two men live a Groundhog Day type day of zero consequences since they have no tomorrow. Still, each has their own demons to sort through that led them to this point and decide whether or not life is worth living. At times, this was a really hard watch, but director Jerrod Carmichael walks the thin line perfectly of handling the seriousness of the topic, while not being completely weighed down by it. On the Count of Three features great performances by Carmichael (doing double duty here by acting as well as directing) and Christopher Abbott and overall was one of the standouts from the festival. RATING: 8.5/10

THE WORLD TO COME

In the mid 1800's, two women who are neither particularly happy in their own marriages, strike a bond of friendship that soon turns into forbidden love. The story is beautifully told in a series of journal passages by Katherine Waterston's character, Abigail, who is a poet at heart. The cinematography here is wonderful and all around the production design is fabulous; the film visually looks fantastic. I think I would have liked a bit more of a build-up in the friendship and for all of the characters to be a bit more fleshed out, but all of the cast (Waterston, Vanessa Kirby, Christopher Abbott and Casey Affleck) turn in very fine performances. RATING: 7.5/10

Well, that's a wrap! See you next year Sundance...hopefully in person.