If Something Happens Film Review: An appealing mystery film

If Something Happens poster

Based on the 1964 story -When this man dies- by Lawrence Block, -If Something Happens- is a delightful mystery drama. The film revolves around a young woman named Julie Reynolds, who is trying to survive in the big city and receives anonymous emails promising her money if something happens to a stranger meaning, if they die.

Written by Sara Beinat and Rajiv Whabi, the plot of the film is unquestionably intriguing. The writers pen a compelling script, layering out, in a way exposing different emotions, virtues, and motives of the human race. The screenplay Sara Beinat is deliberately paced and eventually turns out to be a slow-burner. A half-hour into the film. I wondered why the film is slow and shot so realistically, but as the film progresses you realize that the makers want you to experience the drama and the internal conflict, and then before you know it, the film grabs hold of you, engaging you the fullest and rewarding your patience as it concludes.

Lauren Nieuwland as Julie Reynolds has the most heavy-lifting to do and she is strikingly good. She conveys her angst through her eyes and showcases her liberation most realistically, as we see the darker shades of her character subtly evolve through the film. Other actors also support the film well, notably Sofia Asir.

The cinematography is beautifully realistic, showcasing the big city, coldly. The background score is also used aptly, never exceeding its welcome. The director, Rajiv Whabi, crafts the film with utmost ease; there is an unsettling poise in the way the film pans out. He goes for long-duration shots so as to suck you into the drama, Julie-s dilemma becomes the audience-s dilemma, he successfully gets the best out of each department and plugs everything together thereby building a slow-burning tension.

The film delivers a very important message about subtle underlying greed, mental health, power, ambition, human desires, and its hypocritical nature and also engages the viewer with its twists and turns.

Do watch this film which is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, it takes a while.... but it gets you there- an appealing watch.

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