The Weekend Away, 2022.
Directed by Kim Farrant.
Starring Leighton Meester, Christina Wolfe, Ziad Bakri, Luke Norris, Amar Bukvić, Iva Mihalić, Adrian Pezdirc, and Parth Thakerar.
SYNOPSIS:
A weekend getaway to Croatia goes awry when a woman is accused of killing her best friend. As she attempts to clear her name and uncover the truth, her efforts unearth a painful secret.
For roughly an hour of Kim Farrant’s The Weekend Away (and Sarah Alderman writing a script treatment based on her novel), there is an effort to keep the disappearance at the center of the story somewhat grounded in believability. It also feels as if the filmmakers are actively trying to avoid going down the route of stupidity that most trashy thrillers find themselves on. As a result, there is some measure of worth and entertainment value here (especially considering this is a Netflix drop that is all but guaranteed to be watched by anyone scrolling the What’s New section at midnight on a Saturday) in its simplistic storytelling and brisk running time. This year alone has been far worse thrillers released on streaming services. With that in mind, it’s easy to recommend The Weekend Away to anyone curious that might be looking to pass some time.
However, that doesn’t mean The Weekend Away is necessarily good. The story follows a new mother, Beth (Leighton Meester, turning in a decent performance aside from whenever the script demands her to play shocked). She takes a well-earned vacation to Croatia with her longtime best friend, Kate (Christina Wolfe). The relative closeness from London makes it an ideal relaxation choice should anything come up requiring Beth to return home to her daughter and partner Rob (Luke Norris). Kate is not just looking to unwind, though, as she takes Beth out for a night of partying and drinks that starts normal enough but quickly turns into Kate encouraging Beth to hook up with a stranger and cheated on Rob after expressing that the relationship, while fine, has also become sexually distant. Already, Kate is immensely unlikable and comes across like the worst friend ever.
Cue a brief argument and drunken blackout similar to The Hangover with Beth awakening to find a bloodstain on the floor inside their high-end air B&B with Kate missing. There are also several suspicious characters at play here, ranging from a taxi driver (Ziad Bakri) with much interest in driving around and assisting Beth in her investigation. And she needs that support because the local police appear supremely shady. Also in the mix is an overly creepy air B&B owner. And once Rob realizes that Kate is not faking the disappearance or attention (one of the few solid emotional scenes in the movie, as there is a sense that the character goes from regretting his accusations that it’s a cry for attention), he gets a babysitter and flies into Croatia.
One of the more intriguing aspects is that both the film and Beth are aware that she trusts too easily. On more than one occasion, a character openly questions why she doesn’t assume he is involved. It allows The Weekend Away to at least attempt to say something noteworthy about the line between trust and listening to one’s heart. Also, as details are revealed about the disappearance, there are a few on-the-nose bits regarding slut-shaming and the childish bitterness of a rejected man.
The issue is that, unfortunately, The Weekend Away does devolve into a series of goofy twists and contrived events that continuously undercut the messages the story is getting at. Every suspect is also played over the top, leaving little room for nuance, especially when characters start making drastic decisions that lack logic and purpose to such a degree it becomes apparent they are involved. Still, there is mild forward momentum and suspense, which can’t be said for the terribly executed final 20 minutes. What should have been woven into the third act becomes a lengthy epilogue that only exists to try pulling the rug out from underneath the viewer one more time. And I say try because it’s hard to imagine anyone watching the entire movie not suspecting this person has something to do with the disappearance.
If nothing else, The Weekend Away is a good excuse to turn off your brain for 90 minutes and enjoy a familiar vacation mystery with serious made-for-TV vibes. For better or worse, it is the definition of a Netflix movie.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
