Film Review: 'Proxy'
"Proxy," written by Parker and Kevin Donner, follows the aftermath of Esther Woodhouse’s (Alexia Rasmussen) brutal assault and loss of her unborn baby. This leads to an entanglement between Melanie Michaels (Alexa Havens) who befriends Esther through a support group, Melanie’s husband Patrick Michaels (Joe Swanberg) and Anika Barön (Kristina Klebe), Esther’s lover. What starts out as Esther and Melanie’s shared loss turns out to be nothing of the sort, as the darkness of all these characters finds its way to the surface through children, loss, jealousy and warped reality.
Following the gut wrenching assault of Esther, the initial 30-45 minutes of the film drag on. A lengthy scene of Esther traveling back to the hospital to just sit in the waiting room, for example, bogs the film down without adding additional character or plot development that couldn’t be garnered from other moments. In addition, a slow motion violent, bloody scene at the Michaels’ goes on too long, becoming a bit comical, the scene is so drawn out and dramatic. Perhaps not the intention for a scene that is an important catalyst.
Once past that initial hump, the film is full of moments you don’t expect to see coming, often completely blurring reality and the imagination of these characters. Though a bit confusing, this is perhaps intentional, because it works. The film never answers anything directly, providing enough clues that conclusions can be guessed. Esther’s attacker is never overtly revealed, but the reoccurrence of a same-colored hoodie worn by her attacker may answer the question. Reality is left open to interpretation, and the effect is both intriguing and oddly satisfying.
The musical score also bears mentioning, as it is prominently featured throughout the film. A bit reminiscent of some of the musical themes from Roman Polanski's 1968 film, "Rosemary’s Baby," the orchestral score would seem hokey out of context, but again, it works. The main cast deliver a solid performance of their often sinister characters. Rasmussen excels at facial expressions which convey Esther’s inner crazy long before it’s physically manifested. Havins’ Melanie and all her faces are believable and nearly humorous. And Swanberg is a convincing Patrick, his delivery of a support group speech regarding loss particularly memorable.
Touching on some darker themes, "Proxy" is interesting enough despite the tedious start, thanks to its unpredictable plot twists and complex characters, which will leave viewers pondering what just happened—in a good way.
Reach Staff Reporter Renee Fabian here. Read more by Renee at VersusTheFans.com.