A Review of ‘I, Portrait’: A modest but luring thriller of art, prophecy and seduction
A married artist with a supernatural gift welcomes an old friend into her home, triggering tension and peril.
‘I, Portrait’: A modest but luring thriller of art, prophecy and seduction
Cast: Natalie Heslop, Sienna Stass, Nathan Hill, Damon Hunter, Ellen Grimshaw, Gizelle Basiri, Loraine Fabb, Kalia Best
Critic’s Rating: 3 Stars out of 5
Director: Nathan Hill
Duration: 1 hour, 19 minutes
Genre: Thriller
Language: English
Release: 2019
What’s it about?
A married artist with a supernatural gift welcomes an old friend into her home, triggering tension and peril.
Review:
Can a creative entity be both blessed and cursed with the power of premonition? And to what extent can this impact a conjugal relationship when temptation intervenes? That is the essence of this mildly engaging erotic thriller that is well set up but not entirely fulfilling. However, it is clear that a fair amount of thought has gone into conceiving the film’s plot. Yet, the execution of the same along with the performances from the cast is merely satisfactory. Boosting the film’s appeal however, are emotive original numbers in the soundtrack as well as an intriguing conclusion, which is oddly both dark and hopeful.
The crime-of-passion genre gets a fairly interesting new dimension, courtesy writer-director Nathan Hill. In I, Potrait, Hill explores the notion of magic behind artwork, providing it with the characteristic of the psychic and the supernatural. Accomplished artist and painter Carmen McKenna (Natalie Heslop) confides in her husband Julian (Hill) that whenever she works blindfolded on a canvas, she assumes the power of a soothsayer. But what exactly is the significance of Carmen’s ability to envision future events and people in her life, and how is this symbolised in her brush strokes?
Anyone who is creatively inclined or artistically gifted will be able to relate to Carmen - not only in their innate desire for recognition and fame, but also in their possession of an avenue for personal expression. In the course of the film, Stephanie (Sienna Stass) - an old friend of Carmen’s - mysteriously shows up at her doorstep. Though initially delighted with this unexpected visitor from her past and keen to lend her a helping hand, Carmen soon turns wary of her guest’s presence and intentions. Julian too is taken aback when the young lady behaves indiscreetly with him. Soon, jealously sets in while Carmen begins to suffer from nightmares which feature Julian and Stephanie.
Meanwhile, Julian who is a casting agent for films and photo-shoots, mentions Stephanie to his benefactor Rick (Damon Hunter), inducing him to vaguely recollect her name. Meanwhile, Kelly (Ellen Grimshaw) who is another old pal of Carmen, inadvertently stirs up ill-sentiment when she arrives on the scene. What’s more, Julian seems to be is irresistible to most of the women he crosses paths with, even though he strives to remain faithful to his Better Half. Not surprisingly, confrontations and altercations are in the offing. But who will turn the tables, deal the blows and shed the blood? And what role do Carmen’s cryptic paintings play in this morbid narrative?
Hill deliberately paces each scene and allows the visuals to breathe. But the cinematography and sound, while generally acceptable, occasionally suffer from an amateurish quality. Also, the interplay between the characters is only partially convincing. However, major plusses for the film are the songs Yesterday’s Tomorrow, Rain and In Love. Furthermore, interludes of a reporter’s interview with Carmen about her absurdist and surrealistic brand of art, as well as a scene from a weird movie that Julian has helped cast, are both appealing touches to the film. With I, Portrait, the viewer can look forward to "getting the whole picture”, though it might not make for a pretty one.
