On a scale of first time writers/directors, Matt Sobel falls somewhere in the "they should be in MENSA" class of filmmakers. Right off the bat, he makes Take Me To The River, an incredibly assured, absolutely riveting drama that is much more than first meets the eye. While it may seem like very little happens here (especially by the standards of a traditional Hollywood film,) I dare anyone to watch this through anything but splayed fingers and increasingly sweaty palms. There is tension that builds with every passing moment and by the end, you just kind of have to sit there, amazed at what you just saw.
The story--Ryder (Logan Miller) is a well meaning teenager going to visit his enormous family in the south. He wants to finally come out as gay to them but his mother and father (Robin Weigert and Richard Schiff) assure him that may not be the best idea. One day, nine year old cousin Molly (Ursula Parker) insists Ryder come with her to play in a barn. Molly comes back screaming with blood on her pants. This leads Molly's father, Keith (Josh Hamilton) to insist that Ryder go nowhere near Molly and reveal some dark family secrets.
While the film may not be for everyone (Sobel seems to go out of his way to make each and every revelation be incredibly far from literal,) there is an underlying sense of dread with every reveal. This is not only due to Sobel's amazing writing and direction but also because every performance is pitch perfect. Miller is excellent as the scared young man hiding while Hamilton makes a perfect counterpart, giving Keith the kind of terrifying grit that makes you forget you're watching a performance. Parker is convincingly innocent as Molly but also provides her with a fantastic undercurrent of conniving that gives the character the edge she needs. Meanwhile, Weigert and Schiff are excellent as the parents who know Ryder did nothing wrong but can't do anything about the situation. Weigert, in particular, steals practically every scene she's in. For 99.9% of the film, I completely forgot I was watching a film and that most of these actors are people I'm familiar with.
Special shout outs need to go to production designer Maggie Ruder and costume designer Rebecca Luke. It's often because of what they do more than the performances or the writing/direction (not to take anything away from those, though) that this world feels so lived in. The furniture, the barns, the clothes that people wear, make this film feel 100% authentic, which makes this situation being presented all the more tense. Cinematographer Thomas Scott Stanton is also fantastic, giving even a shot of a field of grass a creepy atmosphere that makes the skin crawl in the best way possible.
I must also point out that the last 35 or so minutes of this film are the most wonderfully uncomfortable I've been in a theater in a long time. Although there is tension through the entire film, the last third is what really makes this story an inventive and masterful one that builds to an incredibly satisfying and very original conclusion.
I doubt there will be many films better this year than Take Me To The River. It is essentially tied for first place on my favorite films of 2016 list as of now. This is a masterpiece of filmmaking that reminded me of why the smaller films are often the ones that most get under the skin. It's not for everyone but if you want to cringe and love it, then see this ASAP!
(5 out of 5 Stars, The film is Not Rated.)
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