Faults (2014)

Memorable, crazy movie

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Who will like this movie? Well all those who can remember and liked the Rod Serling 1960s TV series "The Twilight Zone".Your traveling thru another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination.The plod of the Twilight Zone series revolved around an ordinary Joe or Jane and a situation that took them to somewhere out of normal. In Faults its "Ansel" played by Leland Orser a 50s writer/expert on cult control. He is a battler who is down on luck and this is his story.Set in the 1970s it sets the scene of awkward nativity early, but it is wonderfully acted and tightly scripted and most watchers who can go with the flow will be anxious to see where this story is going. So do NOT read to many reviews which will spoil this surprise ending.It is a lovely blend of dark humor, retro personalities, intelligent dialogue. A classic in my book. If you have not seen The Twilight Zone then watch this, its better.

So far, "Fault" has all positive reviews on IMDb. I cannot imagine this will continue now that it's just debuted on Netflix's streaming service here in the States. I found the film disturbing and unpleasant.When the movie starts, it's a comedy. A complete loser named Ansel (Leland Orser) is doing crappy workshops where he talks about cults and cult deprogramming. He's darkly funny to watch and I enjoyed the film...so far.The plot then thickens. A set of parents inexplicably recruit this idiot to deprogram their daughter who's been caught up in a cult called "Fault". He and some recruits kidnap her and take her to a motel room....and the comedy completely vanishes. The film becomes confusing here, as you really have no idea where it's going. Ultimately, the film becomes VERY dark and nasty...and I was left feeling like two separate films had been spliced together. And, as a result I also felt cheated. A funny dark comedy just became dark and nasty...and unfun to say the least.

I'll always remember Leland Orser for his nervous role as a surviving victim of Se7en's John Doe. I've probably seen him in bit parts since without realizing it's him, but Faults reveals his talent as he steps up to the task of a leading role. He's perfect as the cheap crook and Riley Stearns matches the darkly comic nature of his character with an ideal introduction. Stearns idiosyncratic style borrows from the best of modern cinema - the Coen brothers, Paul Thomas Anderson and Wes Anderson - but it pays off for a surreal, slightly stilted, but hilarious tone. Its premise of cult manipulation is immediately compelling, and it frames its story in a way that's offered skimmed over when it's portrayed on film and never committed to a full 90 minutes. Faults is a very confident debut, but it's a shame that the film wilts in its second half. It trades humour for a psychological thriller, and while it digs deeper into the characters, it loses its way by breaking its world. If only it didn't stumble in this final stretch, the twists in the ending could have had more impact. Still worth the watch.7/10

Original, well acted, and well produced/edited.This film is well worth seeing if you like original, well produced movies.From the beginning you are never really sure where the characters are heading - until the end.The characters draw you into their world and keep you there. Each event and emotion portrayed by brilliant acting. I had never seen any of the cast in previous movies, so it was refreshing seeing new faces (to me) bring the story to life.Whatever expectations you have for this film just forget them and let the story telling take you where it is going to go.