Margo

Part dystopian future survival drama, part romantic tragedy, part post-apocalyptic adventure meets journey of discovery – MARGO is a surreal, at once harrowing film that calmly yet intensely peels back its layers like an onion that's slowly starting to rot. It's a fascinating character study (centered on the captivating performance of Lauren Schaubert who is pretty fearless here) that has one of the more honest and organic rites of passage I've seen executed in a film in years. The majority of the film focuses on us simply observing and journeying with our heroine, Libby (Schaubert) and it's the quiet, uncomfortably personal moments that seem to resonate the strongest. As the film progressed and unexpectedly evolved into a sort of unique (and rather breathtaking) revenge-meets-home- invasion-thriller, I found myself utterly fascinated by the themes at play. This is a tale of longing, a tale of a broken connections and the yearning to develop new ones, a tale of finding one's self identity amidst a chaotic and hopeless existence. It's a primal scream into the darkness. And, it's the tale of two women and their ultimate gift of healing each other, a gift which must be born through extreme violence (seriously: the attempts to kill on display here would be right at home in a remake of BATTLE ROYALE). It's quite beautiful, seeing something so tender come out of something so visceral, primal, and merciless. I also have to point out Abbey Hickey who steals her scenes as the titular character, conveying oh- so-much with simply a glance, giving a powerful performance made up of essentially 100% body language. This is a very quiet, refreshingly patient (not a wasted or rushed moment on display here), and beautiful film that's really a small story amidst a larger unseen tale – and the minimalist approach works to excellent effect, and was a very smart decision (a sort of apocalyptic movie without showing the ACTUAL downfall of society – I appreciated that the film assumes the audience is intelligent enough to fill in the necessary gaps without having everything over-explained). There's an intimacy to MARGO that wouldn't have existed had the scope been broadened further, and as it is the film is far more relatable and impacting. There is an uncomfortably honest social commentary about the film on what it means to be human. And that's one of its strongest traits – Packman's film is at once brutal, yet touching. Sad, yet uplifting. Hopeless, yet inspiring of hope. It's a very special film that is raw, honest, empowering, inspiring, and ultimately: human. So much so that it often feels unscripted (several times I legitimately forgot I was watching a film, I just got lost in it). MARGO is fearless cinema, and Packman goes to places most filmmakers would readily sidestep here. MARGO is a stripped down dystopian cocktail of heartache and self-discovery. It's GIRL, INTERRUPTED at the end of the world. This film affected me, and in the end, kind of took my breath away. Most of all: I just can't stop thinking about it. It's too deep under my skin. I can't recommend it enough.

Matthew Packman's feature-length debut, Margo, is an impressive film. I've read criticisms about the pacing of the film, but as Packman has said in interviews, the film is, at heart, a character study. So, if you are looking for non-stop action this might not be the film for you. But, if you are looking for a character-driven, thoughtful examination of loneliness, loss, and the human need for companionship and a sense of belonging, with a fair amount of action thrown in along the way, then you'll want to watch this film. As is the case with Cormac McCarthy's powerful 2006 novel The Road (and the later film of the same name), the setting of Margo is a post-apocalyptic world, but in both McCarthy's novel and Packman's film, the setting is pure metaphor. The world both artists are describing is our world, with the everyday layers of conformity and conventionality lifted, and the most basic human needs, the most raw human wounds, exposed. It's worth buying and watching for that reason alone. But Margo is also powerful as a work of cinematography. As an independent filmmaker, working on a shoestring budget, Packman deserves kudos for staying true to his grand cinematic vision. He doesn't take shortcuts and he doesn't cut corners. Instead of going for easy, gratuitous shots, Packman builds a rich and complex visual world, with his interesting and unconventional story conveyed with interesting and unconventional camera angles and perspectives. The result is that in Margo each scene is meticulously crafted and executed, with careful planning and shooting that creates a convincing, and thought-provoking, backdrop that rivals what you'd expect from a production with a much larger budget. Likewise, the soundtrack clearly received careful attention, and the various poignant and plaintive songs on it highlight the emotional depth of Margo's characters and the situations in which they find themselves. The film's stars (Lauren Schaubert as Libby, Abbey Hickey as Margo) deliver compelling performances that accentuate the complexities, and vulnerabilities, of the two main characters. Supporting cast members (Brady Suedmeyer as Grant, Cindy Maples as an unnamed woman) add strong performances as well. Overall, Margo is definitely a keeper - a film that inspires reflection, and that you'll want to view more than once.