Connect with us

Film

Tribeca Film Festival 2017: ‘Blame’ is a satisfying witches’ brew

Written by Quinn Shephard (from a story by Laurie Shephard & Quinn Shephard)

Blame, is a stylish, subversive, sophisticated coming-of-age debut that announces Quinn Shepard as a director with a bright future. She also stars as Abigail, a gifted, emotionally fragile girl returning to high school after suffering a mental breakdown. In theater class, an attractive substitute teacher named Jeremy Woods (Chris Messina) assigns The Crucible, casting Abigail as the onetime servant and former lover of John Proctor, Abigail Williams. Abigail dives deep into character with a nearly religious devotion, and her obvious talent, mysterious beauty, and dedication transfix Jeremy. He makes the mistake of casting himself as Proctor, creating deeper confusion for the steadfast Abigail in bringing The Crucible to life. As everything falls apart around him, Jeremy is given the opportunity to find his moral compass and see the truth for what it is.

Melissa, Abigail’s understudy, is a troubled girl who bullies her rival, and desperate for Jeremy’s attention, determines to find a way to bring Abigail down at any cost. Abigail proves to be far more a worthy adversary than Melissa expected, however, but a secret Melissa reveals exposes an ugly truth. Like any witch trial, Blame has nothing to do with witchcraft and everything to do with what gets projected onto teenage girls, and the profound harm it causes. Nadia Alexander won Best Actress in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film for the role of Melissa, and it’s easy to see why she went home with the prize.

Shepard wisely places this story in the right setting. Hysteria, accusation, intolerance, and envy define the average suburban high school, and with smartphones and social media, the timeless story of The Crucible is allowed to play out in unprecedented ways. Shepard seamlessly blends the bold retelling with authentic story-telling; everything her characters do and say feel like things teenagers actually say and do every day. Beautifully shot with clear, stirring imagery by Cinematographer Aaron Kovalchik, Blame feels all grown up, unlike the burgeoning creative force behind it. At 22. Quinn Shepard has written, directed, and starred in one of the best films at Tribeca Film Festival.

Written By

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Arthur G.

    January 18, 2019 at 7:00 am

    Blame is an edgy drama filled with complex characters and a spin on The Crucible we’ve never seen before. It’s truly an original, unique film, something that can be quite difficult to come across in the movie industry today.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Facebook

Trending

Ghostface Killah Sets Long-Awaited Classic “Supreme Clientele” Sequel Release Date & It’s Closer Than You Think

Celebrity

Kendrick Lamar Beats Drake For Album Of The Year At The BET Awards

Celebrity

Andor Creator Tony Gilroy Doesn’t Consider A Key Rogue One Relationship Canon

Film

Simon Guobadia Reportedly Deported To Nigeria After Porsha Williams Drama

Celebrity

‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Renewed for Fifth and Final Season

Film

Fat Joe accused of sex acts with minors in $20 million lawsuit filed by former hype man, rapper denies allegations

Celebrity

Tyler Perry Pops Out At Beyonce Show In Paris Amid Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Celebrity

The Met’s ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ Reframes Ancient Tragedy Through the Lens of Propaganda

Film

Lil Wayne “Tha Carter VI” Review

Celebrity

Silento Breaks Silence After Getting Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Killing His Cousin

Celebrity

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Review: The Best Trek In Decades Doesn’t Miss A Beat

Film

Mello Buckzz’s Boyfriend Shot-&-Killed During Her Mixtape Release Party

News

F1 Review: Brad Pitt’s Sports Drama Has Exciting Racing Scenes And A Bloated Runtime

Film

Trippie Redd Reportedly Arrested In Miami For Mysterious Reasons

Celebrity

Eminem’s Stalker Gets Lengthy Prison Sentence For Home Invasion

News

15 Best Military Movies Of All Time, Ranked

Film

Connect