One of the most interesting films of the year premieres, Youth Award at the San Sebastian Festival, whose apparent simplicity hides an exultant acting job
‘Mass’ is one of those recommendable titles that is worth approaching without knowing anything, or almost nothing, about its content. I wish I could pay the ticket without having any knowledge of what we are going to see, something practically impossible today. Going through the box office virgin before any project is an arduous task that entails a certain sacrifice as a spectator, which is why the existence of face-to-face festivals continues to be a necessary asset, not only to promote culture and feed the sector, but also to be able to taste cinematographic proposals on those that we do not have any record of or hardly sound like to us. Unsuspected, unexpected, surprising films, such as the premiere that concerns us, about which it is difficult to pronounce beyond some general lines.
This captivating debut feature by Fran Kranz, written and directed by a regular actor, curiously enough, in notable horror projects such as ‘You’re still the killer’, ‘Bloodsucking Bastards’ or ‘The Cabin in the Woods’, is mainly based on dialogue and in the acting work of a main cast in a state of grace that manages to hold attention for almost two hours with hardly any changes in location.
An image of ‘Mass’.
Kranz’s background as an actor is wide and varied. His more than two decades of giving the callus include the stages of Broadway, where he has defended works such as “Death of a Salesman.” He shows his interest as a playwright when it comes to writing precisely a drama in crescendo that initially plays to sow some perplexity. Two married couples sit down to talk about their respective children, but we don’t get to know the reason for the meeting until well into the footage. The bewilderment takes shape and is revealed as a suggestive exploration of forgiveness and guilt.
Officially presented at Sundance, ‘Mass’ won the youth award at the San Sebastian Festival with a higher audience score than all the films presented in the Perlas section. Its apparent simplicity is its greatest virtue. We are facing an important title, with a sober script, worked and expressed with skill and creativity. Tense, suffocating at times, with the minimum elements he cautiously unfolds a careful mise-en-scene, where any inane object is of great use. With a satisfactory ending, their roles are embroidered by Jason Isaacs (‘Harry Potter’), Martha Plimpton (‘The Goonies’), Reed Birney (‘The Hunt’) and Ann Dowd (‘Hereditary’). People talking and captivating.
#Mass #forgiveness #blame