CHOIR GIRL (2020) 

Eugene (portrayed by Peter Flaherty) is a lonely photographer trying to sell his photos to a magazine to help pay for his ill father’s treatments. His photos lean towards the weird side, catching strangers in acts so private that some think he’s a stalker. He’s not, though, but instead just happens to be at the right place at the right time with his camera in hand. One night, he comes across a young prostitute named Josephine (Sarah Timm) in the middle of getting drugged and snaps a photo of her face. When Eugene sends the photo to a publishing representative, he realizes that Josephine might be the one to help him reach his big break, and perhaps he can help her escape the life she’s fallen into. But is he really helping her, or is he just using her as his muse?

In a way, Choir Girl takes some elements from Taxi Driver. Thematically speaking, I would say it has a stronger idea of what it’s trying to do than Joker, but falls flat in comparison to You Were Never Really Here due to the execution. Though the film makes it clear to the viewer what is happening, we’re not really sure why these things are happening, how they connect together, and what the overall lesson is. As the film gets deeper and deeper into what topics it wants to portray, it then leans into shock value instead of trying to tell its story and ultimately shoots itself in the foot. The heart’s in the right place, but hoo boy that scene towards the end made me very uncomfortable.

ACTING | CHARACTERS | DIALOGUE:

The performances here are actually great, but the material the actors are given plus perhaps not the right direction keeps anyone from having a shining moment. No character has an arc nor are they relatable, so the actors end up feeling one-note from beginning to end. This, in turn, was the biggest problem trying to watch the film. Without the dynamic shift in emotions, it was hard to be invested in the film and take it seriously. Stakes weren’t felt, goals were left to the sideline, and any sense of moral quandary is buried in half-baked subtext.

VISUAL EFFECTS | MAKEUP | DESIGN:

Overall, not half bad. There are no visual effects in the film, the hair and makeup look organic in each scene, and the production design does have its shining moments such as Eugene’s dark room, a restaurant in the first half of the film, and the one room with mirrors for walls. Outside of these superb set pieces are locations that are also great and don’t pull from the experience, but some such as the hospital and an apartment felt a bit barren.