Film : Extracurricular Activities (2019)
Director : Jay Lowi
Runtime : 1h 26 mins.
Cast : Collin Ford, Timothy Simons, Ellie Bamber
Overview
Extracurricular Activities Review is a clever ruse and despite it’s critical reviews, it has not disappointed in gaining the number of viewers. Ford’s character in the film might be considered in contrast to the character of Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang theory with high intellect, academic inclinations and popularity. But the empathy and his well nourished social skills favor him in the comparison scale.
The film is studded with a sparkling ensemble with Ford, Simons & Bamber in the lead. The story follows Ford as Reagan Collins, a bright and innovative student who remains at the top of his respective fields when it comes to academics or proving his wits. Although, there is a dark side to it. Reagan uses his intelligence to engineer the murders of the ill behaving parents of his school community. The pot stirs again when a detective (Timothy Simons) follows the murder investigations. He finds Ford as the prime suspect and the connection between all the murders and a Cat & Mouse chase begins.
Direction
Lowi’s direction seems to linger around but does not hit the spot. The film features a unique set of pros & cons. Starting from the pros, the film really does express a unique view on the generic topic. The audience falls in love with Ford’s character and it does not retract even after the revelation that he’s the murderer. The director successfully engineers the weightlessness of the guilt by depicting the dead parents as the wrong doers who had it coming. The film’s partake on society widely claims that many children are subjected to abuse by their parents. This is the highlight of the film.
Now we move to the cons. The film fails as a thriller and does not sustain any kind of suspense. There are plot-holes that have been tried to be covered up by comedy. The direction of the film is above average. However, Lowi shows a lot of promising effort.
Cinematography
The credits for the Cinematography go to Jay Visit. The film does not feature exceptional frames or lights. However, the lights do not fail to light up as intended. Visit is able to get sharp images and effective scenes. The cinematography does buoy the effect of the film on the audience. Overall the cinematography is good.
Cast
The element that has the biggest contribution in lifting up the film is the cast. Ford’s acting skills just make you fall in love with him. His peculiar and intellectual persona and the mysterious look on his face seem to be the perfect cocktail blend. Bamber and Ford’s tangy chemistry seems to be the icing on the cake. Bamber’s performance is also one of those to be mentioned in the good books. Finally, Timothy Simons does a great job in pulling his role as the detective. His charm mixed with the witty comedy does seem to have the desired effect. Overall, the cast did a great job.
Conclusion
The film Extracurricular Activities is a great popcorn flix. A film when enjoyed as the dark comedy it boasts of, does not disappoint. The acting seems to keep you on your toes. The choice of the topic gives a strange hindsight on the very subject. All of that mixed in one power packed bag does make it a great one time watch. However, speaking critically the film does lack some spectacle.
Rating – 5.8/10
