Black Fly

I saw Black Fly in the Activity Centre Lounge on Denman Island on the evening of October 11, 2014.I went to it primarily because rarely do films also being shown at the Vancouver Film Festival make it to our little outpost especially during the actual festival. A portion of the film was shot on Denman and I assume showing it here was an offering of respect and appreciation for the reception shown during the filming.

Black Fly, directed by Jason Bourque, is a terrific little thriller. It is intense, depressing, (did I say intense?) and dark. Ostensibly based on a series of murders in New Brunswick 30 years ago, it stands on its own as a portrait of rural isolation and the violence which may be simmering just below the surface of all of our souls.

The scenes shot on Denman Island are beautiful as is the cinematography for the entire film. Though not for the faint of heart, I would recommend it to any moviegoer looking for a taste of anguish and angst.

Real life horror. Suspenseful and gritty. Dont listen to the poor ratings. This film was an excellent thriller with good performances very well done despite the low budget. I would like to see more from this director.

I saw this indie feature over a year ago, and I still think about it. That means it's a good thriller. Gritty and suspenseful, and you don't know what's going to happen next. The characters are well thought out, and believable. Cinematography captures the environment so well that you feel everything. Jason Bourque has a well written script, superbly directed, and the actors were brave enough to go to some tough places! You won't be disappointed.

There's definitely a decent story here, and pretty strong character development. It wasn't at all boring, in my opinion. The rising tension is done effectively, and we believe every decision each character makes. Also, the ending was appropriate and not overly contrived.

It did at times, however, feel like the actors were kind of *playing* at being country bumpkins with a tough start in life. That is, the acting didn't feel entirely authentic. The actress who plays Paula, for example, went way over the top with the melodrama. I was rolling my eyes at her a little by the end. I felt similar about the actor who played Noel. Just a little too much screaming and kicking when a bit more subtlety would have been much more effective.

It made me think of the movie Affliction, an indie drama from (I believe, without checking) the '90s, starring Nick Nolte and Sissy Spacek. It's the same kind of themes but much better acting. Anyway, Black Fly is a decent watch even if it's a bit forgettable.

Came across this in my prime movies based on my preferences. Yes the cinematography catches detail but all I was honestly left with was questions and feeling unsatisfied. I guess if you have an hour and a half to be occupied this will take up your time.