Throughout much of the movie I kept thinking this was either some Stephen King story about a town taken over by really creepy people from which a number of characters were trying to literally or figuratively flee ... or maybe a Jane Goodall remake where the chimpanzees were replaced by people.
Just about everyone in the movie kept making tight-lipped grimaces or they bared their teeth in even more alarming pseudo-smiles like chimps who were really stressed out, quite often accompanied by these huh-huh- huh vocalizations that might have been intended to mimic laughter. They must have developed muscle cramps in their jaws from the constant flexing of facial muscle, exposing their teeth in Stephen King inspired displays of a death rictus.
Given the discomfort most of the actors appeared to feel it's not surprising that some of them chose to relieve the pressure by over- acting, at times violently.
Beneath all the theatrics and grimacing and numerous unnervingly extended pauses in dialogue as a number characters (or possibly it was the actors themselves) struggled for words, there may have been a message. I did feel the pain and sense of loss of the one character who, towards the end, repeatedly said he didn't know what to do and I could also understand the elation felt by those who had a metaphoric "ticket out of town."
It could charitably be described as a well-intended critical socio- theological story if somewhat confused and heavy-handed. Unfortunately all the antics, histrionics and bathos obscured the point they were attempting to make, rather generously assuming there was a point and that the actors knew what it was.
Just about everyone in the movie kept making tight-lipped grimaces or they bared their teeth in even more alarming pseudo-smiles like chimps who were really stressed out, quite often accompanied by these huh-huh- huh vocalizations that might have been intended to mimic laughter. They must have developed muscle cramps in their jaws from the constant flexing of facial muscle, exposing their teeth in Stephen King inspired displays of a death rictus.
Given the discomfort most of the actors appeared to feel it's not surprising that some of them chose to relieve the pressure by over- acting, at times violently.
Beneath all the theatrics and grimacing and numerous unnervingly extended pauses in dialogue as a number characters (or possibly it was the actors themselves) struggled for words, there may have been a message. I did feel the pain and sense of loss of the one character who, towards the end, repeatedly said he didn't know what to do and I could also understand the elation felt by those who had a metaphoric "ticket out of town."
It could charitably be described as a well-intended critical socio- theological story if somewhat confused and heavy-handed. Unfortunately all the antics, histrionics and bathos obscured the point they were attempting to make, rather generously assuming there was a point and that the actors knew what it was.