Lake Views & Knives...

THE LOVED ONES

Robin McLeavy – Princess, or Lola

Xavier Samuel – Brent

John Brumpton – Daddy

Victoria Thaine - Holly

Richard Wilson – Jamie

Jessica McNamee – Mia

Dir. Sean Byrne

Producer – Mark Lazarus

Ambience Entertainment

84mins

‘The Loved Ones’ (dir. Sean Byrne) is a film that allows itself to explore and confront teenage angst in such a way that the end result is, very simply, a joy to watch.  By comparing the ways in which teenagers deal with loss and longing in simplistic terms, ‘The Loved Ones’ is made fresh and surprising.  The visual style and cinematography, married with scenes of intense physical pain, solitude, and teenage fantasy, result in a free-spinning cotton candy machine, lovingly crystalized with blood.  This film exalts in the hot pink of prom night, making it hugely aesthetically pleasing, even during scenes of horrific torture.   

As teenagers, we are offered restrictions: a date can’t be found for a dance; we can’t figure out ways to overcome loss; we are ostracized by our peers; authority figures don’t allow us the space to blossom.  ‘The Loved Ones’ is able to project various stages of angst onto, and from within, each of it’s characters without causing any of them to be stereotypical, though on the surface they may be.  ‘Lola’, or ‘Princess’ (Robin McLeavy), is one of the better villains to grace the horror screen in quite some time.  Both relentless and innocent, McLeavy commands the screen with intensity – in one particularly powerful instance, screaming “Cry!” to ‘Brent’ (Xavier Samuel) over and over again, as her father (John Brumpton) drives knives into his feet.  As father and daughter, they break the surface of the Electra Complex with a dance at the end: Princess finally realizing that her father is “the only one for me”.  In the torture and mistreatment of ‘Bright Eyes’ (Anne Scott-Pendlebury), her mother, and the dispensing of suitors over the years, Princess has obviously pursued her father as a partner. 

Throughout the film, the pairing of Brent and Princess is juxtaposed with the night that ‘Jamie’ (Richard Wilson), and ‘Mia’ (Jessica McNamee), are having together.  Mia, suffering from the loss of her brother, comparatively projects her angst in a far different manner than Jamie, or Brent: heavy drinking and a dour attitude versus Brent’s penchant for ‘cutting’ and a dour attitude.  (Quite arguably, Brent’s past of ‘cutting’ is what saves him: his pain tolerance, and his razor blade necklace).  ‘Holly’ (Victoria Thaine) is obviously neglected.  In fact, Jamie is possibly the only character that can be construed to have a normal life. 

‘The Loved Ones’ is a great film, surprising with each turn of the camera; and, as a first time feature director, Sean Byrne is completely assured.  The performances he is able to extract from Samuel, and, particularly, McLeavy is beyond exciting.  While Brent’s ordeal is not easily forgotten, (in a way it frees him from blaming himself for the death of his father), it's Princess who will haunt you afterwards.  

Afterthought:  In many ways the intensity, great direction, strength of it's lead actress, and tone of The Loved Ones reminded me of Lucky McKee's first film May.  

Here is Roger Ebert's review of May:
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030606/REVIEWS/306060303/1023