Channeling a bit of Whiplash in its tale of obsession & compulsion, The Novice is raw, intense & gripping when it gets the combination right and is propelled by a thoroughly committed act from its leading lady. It is competently crafted & expertly shot yet what prevents the film from soaring to better heights is its lack of restraint, for it overdoes style to a point that it becomes overbearing.
Written & directed by Lauren Hadaway in her directorial debut, the film's damp & darkly lit set pieces provide a grittiness & perspiring feel to the story and the drizzly atmosphere & piercing score only amp it up further. Through her protagonist, Hadaway deftly captures the danger of ambition turning into obsession but being a novice at feature filmmaking herself, she does get carried away a few times.
What at first seemed like a motivational story of drive, determination & endurance paving way for success soon turns into a physical & psychological nightmare as our lead character goes to extreme lengths in pursuit of her goals. And Isabelle Fuhrman's strenuous & stressful input renders her inner anguish & unhealthy fixation with startling fidelity. It sure is disturbing & worrisome to watch but it's also the film's highlight.
Overall, The Novice makes for a riveting, thrilling & cold-hearted portrait of a young woman's all-consuming journey to the top and despite a few shortcomings of its own makings, it starts the debutant director's filmmaking career on a promising note. Fuhrman really gets under the skin of her neurotic character to deliver an impressive performance that steers this story past the finish line. And she single-handedly makes it worth the price of admission.
