The Hollywood reporter wrote "Caleb Landry Jones headlines 'To the Night,' a psychological acid trip of a movie directed by Austrian filmmaker Peter Brunner ('Those Who Fall Have Wings'). "
I don't get why some critics pick on the rich kid topic since the whole film feels more like a metaphor for th ecrative process than a depiction of a social realism.
In one scene, Norman aims his car at his parents' home and does an intense burnout, with the implication that at any moment he could take his foot off the brake and end it all. The movie builds tension in a similar way-Norman gets worked up more and more until he explodes, with the emotional shrapnel hitting whoever is closest. He admits to Penelope that despite his best efforts to maintain mental stability, "I can't get used to the way I'm supposed to be."
As much as Norman's behaviors should have everyone running in the opposite direction, he is a study in how we try to care for loved ones with dangerous mental health problems. He is selfish, cruel, abusive, and destructive, but he's also a nuanced person who is cared about by his friends and family, and that creates an authenticity that binds the story together.
Technically, the film is professional and aesthetically pleasing. Fire colored lighting, specifically red hues, are prominent throughout. The sets are stripped down and full of Norman's art, creating a canvas for the unrestrained displays of emotion. The shot scale and composition is varied, but extreme close-ups are used so often that it verges on emotional manipulation.
The film is mostly well-acted, with an exceptional performance by Caleb Landry Jones. Overall, TO THE NIGHT is a portrait of the agony of mental illness, experienced not only by Norman but by everyone around him. Resisting the opportunity to be exploitative, TO THE NIGHT paints a harrowing portrait of raw, realistic human pain.
