New Life, 2024.
Written and Directed by John Rosman.
Starring Sonya Walger, Hayley Erin, Tony Amendola, Ayanna Berkshire, Nick George, Jeb Berrier, and Blaine Palmer.
SYNOPSIS:
A mysterious woman on the run, and the resourceful fixer assigned to bring her in. Their two unique stories inextricably link, as the stakes of the pursuit rise to apocalyptic proportions.
The first half of writer/director John Rosman’s New Life is intentionally confounding, and the payoff is more than worth it. Centered on Hayley Erin’s on-the-run Jessica and Sonya Walger’s fixer Elsa, the latter has been contacted by an organization to find and bring in the former. What’s especially odd is that while Elsa is portrayed as the hardened, no-nonsense villain in this scenario, with Jessica aware that someone is after her for some reason and means business, the film is also taking time to incorporate more grounded and human elements such as this agent going to the early stages of ALS.
Jessica is, or possibly was, a fiancé, as evidenced by the wedding ring and blood on her face. Or perhaps she murdered him. Naturally, she also doesn’t say much to the few friends she meets up with, which is logical considering she wants to stay hidden. She is trying to protect a small circle of friends at a farmhouse, but from what danger? There are also flashbacks to Jessica’s life with her partner Ian (Nick George), camping in the woods, which is sure to inevitably explain part of what’s happening here.
Choosing to withhold clear motives for each character feels like it could have easily been a recipe for disaster or a sign to mentally check out early, but the lived-in performances and sensitive treatment of the material, especially something as serious as ALS for a character still committed to the job, ensure intrigue.
At that halfway mark, New Life shifts from cat-and-mouse thriller to horror, although I will leave the subgenre unspecified. That’s not to say the reveals are the only reason to watch this gutsy balancing act of genre because the characterization is also effective. There is also an element of conspiracy that could have been explored more deeply, although it’s also understandable why it’s not considering everything else being juggled.
What can be said is that the practical effects are detailed, and the horror sequences themselves are intense. The meticulously handled slow build to something that could have easily been written off as generic also allows something familiar to feel suspenseful and exciting. It’s worth stressing that the film isn’t necessarily doing anything new within that subgenre but gets away with trafficking in some of the more popular tropes because of its unorthodox structure and strong character work.
While New Life does lead to a riveting finale that makes the most of its transition into horror and major stakes for the world’s fate, it doesn’t quite reach the profound statement that it seems to be ambitiously aiming for. Still, as an exercise in unpredictability and connecting with characters despite the bare minimum information, it succeeds and announces John Rosman as a cleverly twisted filmmaker to keep an eye on.
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
