Midnight Special is the 4th film from writer/director Jeff Nichols. That should honestly be enough to get people excited, for his films Take Shelter and Mud are both considered instant American classics, and Midnight Special has joined the list. Of course, though, the film and Nichols' previous entries aren't for everyone, but as films, they are true masterpieces. What I find hard to describe about Midnight Special, though, is how it's able to weave together multiple genres and sub-genres into one cohesive whole, from a sci-fi conspiracy thriller to a family drama, and a road film mixed with a chase-driven action movie. Midnight Special takes place over the course of a few days, but follows Roy Tomlin, Roy's best friend Lucas, Roy's wife Sarah Tomlin and their son, Alton Meyer, who Roy took back from Calvin Meyer, Alton's stepfather and religious cult leader who believes Alton will save them, all the while the government is also looking to seize Alton from Roy, believing him to be an inhuman weapon.
What I found the most profound and phenomenal about the film wasn't the writing, the direction, the breath-taking visuals or the moody score from David Wingo, but the acting. Was it acting? Honestly, I felt every second of the film to be happening in real time. Even the second time I saw it, I thought that what happened in the movie was the most organic and natural acting of all time. I don't say that lightly, not even a little bit. But, the simple relationship between Alton and Roy was real, the relationship between Alton and Sarah was real, and even the one between Alton and Lucas, a man Alton didn't know until Roy pulled Lucas into their "situation," which is best described in a scene where Alton sees the sunrise for the first time, and Lucas, also feeling like a father figure/friend for Alton, is taken aback by Alton's experience, sadly to the point where Lucas is shot by one of Calvin Meyer's followers when he doesn't check his corners. This isn't just him being stupid, because later, Lucas apologizes to Roy that he "should have checked first." The other performance that made the film real was Adam Driver as Paul Sevier, an NSA analyst brought in to assist the FBI's investigation and apprehension of Alton. You can tell in his mannerisms and reactions to fieldwork that he doesn't get out much, and that the excitement is something he's coming to like. Quite a bit, in fact.
There are a select amount of movies that have not just an immense emotional impact, but a real sense of urgency and reality. Movies are often tense and gripping, with suspense and action, but more times than not is the urgency from what happens in the film. Instead, with Midnight Special, we feel the urgency. We know, for a fact, the entire movie is riding on a father making sure his son is safe. That's profound in its own right, and beautiful. I want to give the movie a 10, but that would be by my strict, personal feelings. I give it a 9 because, again, not everyone will like it. Not all questions are answered, the movie is not fast-paced, and the sci-fi aspect is not full-blown, but is integral to the development of the characters and world they're in. But, in any case, this movie deserves to be seen, and I hope it gets a bigger audience when released on disc. I, for one, side with Mr. Chris Pratt when it comes to Midnight Special: "If you are like me, Midnight Special will be your new favorite film."
What I found the most profound and phenomenal about the film wasn't the writing, the direction, the breath-taking visuals or the moody score from David Wingo, but the acting. Was it acting? Honestly, I felt every second of the film to be happening in real time. Even the second time I saw it, I thought that what happened in the movie was the most organic and natural acting of all time. I don't say that lightly, not even a little bit. But, the simple relationship between Alton and Roy was real, the relationship between Alton and Sarah was real, and even the one between Alton and Lucas, a man Alton didn't know until Roy pulled Lucas into their "situation," which is best described in a scene where Alton sees the sunrise for the first time, and Lucas, also feeling like a father figure/friend for Alton, is taken aback by Alton's experience, sadly to the point where Lucas is shot by one of Calvin Meyer's followers when he doesn't check his corners. This isn't just him being stupid, because later, Lucas apologizes to Roy that he "should have checked first." The other performance that made the film real was Adam Driver as Paul Sevier, an NSA analyst brought in to assist the FBI's investigation and apprehension of Alton. You can tell in his mannerisms and reactions to fieldwork that he doesn't get out much, and that the excitement is something he's coming to like. Quite a bit, in fact.
There are a select amount of movies that have not just an immense emotional impact, but a real sense of urgency and reality. Movies are often tense and gripping, with suspense and action, but more times than not is the urgency from what happens in the film. Instead, with Midnight Special, we feel the urgency. We know, for a fact, the entire movie is riding on a father making sure his son is safe. That's profound in its own right, and beautiful. I want to give the movie a 10, but that would be by my strict, personal feelings. I give it a 9 because, again, not everyone will like it. Not all questions are answered, the movie is not fast-paced, and the sci-fi aspect is not full-blown, but is integral to the development of the characters and world they're in. But, in any case, this movie deserves to be seen, and I hope it gets a bigger audience when released on disc. I, for one, side with Mr. Chris Pratt when it comes to Midnight Special: "If you are like me, Midnight Special will be your new favorite film."