Nightride (2022) Dir: Stephen Fingleton
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This British netflix original is a 'real time' crime thriller that takes place in and around one car and its driver. The film is a great example of what can be done on a low budget with a small cast.
The writing, done by Ben Conway, is well crafted and concise. It builds in suspense and drama steadily over the course of, what is by today's standards, a brief 97 minutes.
The narrative is simple yet effective and uses the strong acting of Moe Dunford to great effect. Watching the protagonist slowly lose his grip as his plan unravels is so satisfyingly filmed.
Dunford does well to elicite emotions from himself and the audience with some really good visual acting.
The vast majority of the cast is not seen in person, with the other character involvements coming through a series of phone calls - which admittedly threaten to become a little tiresome to listen to at points but just about manage not to take away from the overall piece.
Joan Robeira manages to convey a good level of emotion from what is essentially a voice acting performance - helping to build the tension throughout the film.
Gerard Jordan does well to capitalise on his screentime - acting as one of the only other actors to be seen on screen.
Stephen Rea manages to come across as remarkably sinister in his role, which is exactly what he needed to do. Ellie O'Halloran has one of the better vocal performances here, her character adding to the emotional back story and motivation for Dunford.
Aaron McCusker also gives a good voice performance with limited lines. Furthermore, Ciaran Flynn, Desmond Eastwood, John Travers and Andrew Simpson all have pretty minor parts but collectively do their jobs as needed for the film.
Director Stephen Fingleton does a pretty stellar job of maximising the tools and actors at his disposal here - the film didn't need or use much to succeed.
Overall, this was a really well built story which allowed its tension and jeopardy to drive the narrative forward, with the help of Dunford's decent starring performance.
It's a neatly wrapped standalone story that's easy to watch and not so complicated to become at all convoluted.
I recommend this one for an evening watch, where you can settle in and enjoy the ride.
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