All i can say is this movie surprised me alot, i remember seeing it on Netflix and never watching it until now and i regret waiting, the film delivers drama and strong performances as well as an unfiltered feel. Some of the conversations had with these characters feel so raw and real you almost feel guilty for listening to their personal conversation. Hadn't seen Keri Green in years and she really shines here she and Cerina have great chemistry.
8 Reviews
A lot of Loose threads are held together by SOME amazing actors
jaybeebrad11 December 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Complacent clearly wants to be a "Revolutionary Road", or one of it's ilk: character driven drama about interpersonal relationships between spouses and the larger family dynamic, all told through the shaky indie lens that evokes a closeness we can all relate to.
Here's what the film lacks: good writing, great directing, good cinematography, much cleverness, uniqueness and - quite frankly - very much good acting.
Where's what the film has: a familiar story that is engrossing despite these flaws because, though we've seen it told so many times, it continues to be relatable and pull at our heartstrings.
Here's what saves the film from being terrible: absolutely stellar performances by actress Kerri Green and actor Keir O'Donnell, and to a lesser degree (though no fault of their own) by Elisa Donovan and Michael Worth.
Arguably the film's lead, horribly miscast Cerina Vincent plays Myah, sister to Green's Beth. Their dramatic difference in appearance explained away in a brief mention of them having different fathers, looks aren't where the differences stop. Myah is a free spirit, fresh out of an abusive divorce, opening a new restaurant and dating a long- haired hippie. Beth is settled down with her business-man husband, raising a child and secretly resenting that she has abandoned her dreams of becoming an artist.
What unfolds are a lot of trite set-ups that involve a ton of quiet "no one is speaking" clip montages - you know, looking in mirrors, our windows, sitting quietly on the side of the bed contemplating. All with pretty blah incidental music. These are interspersed with dinner gatherings at Myah's house which, of course, all naturally involve some kind of dramatic argument.
The story is classic: free-soul-sister trying to loosen up uptight sister to help her rediscover her passion, uptight sister trapped in an unhappy marriage by love and obligation. Thrown into the mix are a set of friends that include the selfish real estate agent Jennifer (Donovan) and her husband Eugene (O'Donnell). This couple seems unhappier than any, due in part to an unrevealed pregnancy that is unwanted.
As the situations of the main characters remain unchanged, it is revealed that two of the spouses are cheating (with each other,) and when one of the spouses who is being cheated on finds out, he emotionally unravels to a predictable outcome. What's funny is that this is the moment that "wakes them all up", as described in the film's press, but it happens at the end of the film. There's less than five minutes of movie after this big event for everyone to shake up their lives and heal.
Kerri Green's performance as a silently suffering, emotionally neglected and creatively unfulfilled housewife is Oscar worthy. On par with a Kate Winslet or a Julianne Moore, Green is given practically nothing to work with and somehow finds the reality in Beth's pain and fear and turns the character into something real. Conversely the character of Myah seems like little more than a raging, annoying, invasive bitch when in fact she has ever right to be stressed and upset about the various indignities she's suffered. It doesn't help that Cerina Vincent looks like a porn star amidst a cast of actual people.
Joey Kern as Beth's violent tempered, vacant husband just seems to fall completely flat in the fact of the material. He's given the most to work with and does the least with it. Donovan's Jennifer puts up a tremendous emotional wall between herself and the rest of the cast, which seems like a technique embraced by the actress to compensate for being given very little good dialog to work with despite so rich a character; it works. Michael Worth as Myah's new, supportive boyfriend plays the role to a 't', but again, he's given so little to work with; what he's given, he fills the screen with.
Ultimately "Complacent" seems to be the right title for this film, because it seems like writer/director Steven Monroe went all-around half-assed on the project and wound up with a film of shattered tiles. There are lots of really gorgeous pieces in the debris, but only a few shine brightly enough to save the whole thing from going onto the garbage heap.
As a side note - you may remember Kerri Green from her work as a teen star in the late 80's, most notably as Andi the cheerleader in "The Goonies". If her performance in this film is any kind of indication as to how she has matured in an actress, we can only hope she is on her way to a massive career comeback. Clearly Martha Plimpton is not the only talented Goonie out there in the ether. Casting directors, take note!
Here's what the film lacks: good writing, great directing, good cinematography, much cleverness, uniqueness and - quite frankly - very much good acting.
Where's what the film has: a familiar story that is engrossing despite these flaws because, though we've seen it told so many times, it continues to be relatable and pull at our heartstrings.
Here's what saves the film from being terrible: absolutely stellar performances by actress Kerri Green and actor Keir O'Donnell, and to a lesser degree (though no fault of their own) by Elisa Donovan and Michael Worth.
Arguably the film's lead, horribly miscast Cerina Vincent plays Myah, sister to Green's Beth. Their dramatic difference in appearance explained away in a brief mention of them having different fathers, looks aren't where the differences stop. Myah is a free spirit, fresh out of an abusive divorce, opening a new restaurant and dating a long- haired hippie. Beth is settled down with her business-man husband, raising a child and secretly resenting that she has abandoned her dreams of becoming an artist.
What unfolds are a lot of trite set-ups that involve a ton of quiet "no one is speaking" clip montages - you know, looking in mirrors, our windows, sitting quietly on the side of the bed contemplating. All with pretty blah incidental music. These are interspersed with dinner gatherings at Myah's house which, of course, all naturally involve some kind of dramatic argument.
The story is classic: free-soul-sister trying to loosen up uptight sister to help her rediscover her passion, uptight sister trapped in an unhappy marriage by love and obligation. Thrown into the mix are a set of friends that include the selfish real estate agent Jennifer (Donovan) and her husband Eugene (O'Donnell). This couple seems unhappier than any, due in part to an unrevealed pregnancy that is unwanted.
As the situations of the main characters remain unchanged, it is revealed that two of the spouses are cheating (with each other,) and when one of the spouses who is being cheated on finds out, he emotionally unravels to a predictable outcome. What's funny is that this is the moment that "wakes them all up", as described in the film's press, but it happens at the end of the film. There's less than five minutes of movie after this big event for everyone to shake up their lives and heal.
Kerri Green's performance as a silently suffering, emotionally neglected and creatively unfulfilled housewife is Oscar worthy. On par with a Kate Winslet or a Julianne Moore, Green is given practically nothing to work with and somehow finds the reality in Beth's pain and fear and turns the character into something real. Conversely the character of Myah seems like little more than a raging, annoying, invasive bitch when in fact she has ever right to be stressed and upset about the various indignities she's suffered. It doesn't help that Cerina Vincent looks like a porn star amidst a cast of actual people.
Joey Kern as Beth's violent tempered, vacant husband just seems to fall completely flat in the fact of the material. He's given the most to work with and does the least with it. Donovan's Jennifer puts up a tremendous emotional wall between herself and the rest of the cast, which seems like a technique embraced by the actress to compensate for being given very little good dialog to work with despite so rich a character; it works. Michael Worth as Myah's new, supportive boyfriend plays the role to a 't', but again, he's given so little to work with; what he's given, he fills the screen with.
Ultimately "Complacent" seems to be the right title for this film, because it seems like writer/director Steven Monroe went all-around half-assed on the project and wound up with a film of shattered tiles. There are lots of really gorgeous pieces in the debris, but only a few shine brightly enough to save the whole thing from going onto the garbage heap.
As a side note - you may remember Kerri Green from her work as a teen star in the late 80's, most notably as Andi the cheerleader in "The Goonies". If her performance in this film is any kind of indication as to how she has matured in an actress, we can only hope she is on her way to a massive career comeback. Clearly Martha Plimpton is not the only talented Goonie out there in the ether. Casting directors, take note!
Ensemble
BandSAboutMovies11 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Two sisters, Myah Sanderson and Beth Wilkensen, struggle with their differences but have settled in to whatever life is going to be, just trying to get through another day of life. Finally, one of them can no longer take it and tries to break out of the rat race, the day to day drudgery, and it sets up a chain reaction that everyone must deal with.
Complacent is a movie that attempts to do what Crash - no, not the one with the automobile crash obsession - and Magnolia did so well. So does it succeed?
This was written and directed by Steven R. Monroe, who usually delivers fare such as It Waits, the 2010 remake of I Spit On Your Grave (as well as the 2013 sequel) and, as we've realized by now, holiday movies, which seems to be the twin genre to scary movies. He's made A Bramble House Christmas, Christmas Connection, Christmas In Homestead, Christmas Tree Lane, Reunited at Christmas and The 12 Disasters of Christmas.
Speaking of horror, leads Celina Vincent and Joey Kern were also in Cabin Fever. You may have also seen her in Not Another Teen Movie and as Maya the Yellow Ranger in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. And oh yeah - big for all horror fans, Adrienne Barbeau is also on hand!
If you love eighties films, this is Kerri Green's (Lucas, The Goonies) first acting role in over a decade. Nineties movies? Elisa Donovan from Clueless and A Night at the Roxbury is in the cast.
Other actors and actresses appearing include Keir O'Donnel (who was in the TV show Project Blue Book, as well as Wedding Crashers, American Sniper and played Ben Schmidt on the Fargo TV series), Michael Worth, Christopher Showerman (who played George of the Jungle in the 2003 direct to video sequel), Melanie Monroe, Tate Berney (a child actor who I think I auditioned for a paint commercial a few years back), Dean Alioto (who directed The McPherson Tape, which AGFA just re-released), Carson Durham, Leif Gantvoort, McLean McGown, Allie Smith and Jan Munroe.
There are moments of long silence and just staring as music plays over the film, like some icy break people the dialogue. These types of drama movies usually don't work for me - if you read our site, you know that my heart lies in the blood soaked films of foreign countries, but if you enjoy family drama and lives caught in the balance, perhaps you will enjoy this. As for me, it just reminds me of extended family dinners that feel as if a stick of TNT has been lit and we all either attempt to blow out the fuse or relight it, depending on our temperment.
It has a decent budget and, as we mentioned above, several actors and actresses that you'll recognize from the past.
Complacent is a movie that attempts to do what Crash - no, not the one with the automobile crash obsession - and Magnolia did so well. So does it succeed?
This was written and directed by Steven R. Monroe, who usually delivers fare such as It Waits, the 2010 remake of I Spit On Your Grave (as well as the 2013 sequel) and, as we've realized by now, holiday movies, which seems to be the twin genre to scary movies. He's made A Bramble House Christmas, Christmas Connection, Christmas In Homestead, Christmas Tree Lane, Reunited at Christmas and The 12 Disasters of Christmas.
Speaking of horror, leads Celina Vincent and Joey Kern were also in Cabin Fever. You may have also seen her in Not Another Teen Movie and as Maya the Yellow Ranger in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. And oh yeah - big for all horror fans, Adrienne Barbeau is also on hand!
If you love eighties films, this is Kerri Green's (Lucas, The Goonies) first acting role in over a decade. Nineties movies? Elisa Donovan from Clueless and A Night at the Roxbury is in the cast.
Other actors and actresses appearing include Keir O'Donnel (who was in the TV show Project Blue Book, as well as Wedding Crashers, American Sniper and played Ben Schmidt on the Fargo TV series), Michael Worth, Christopher Showerman (who played George of the Jungle in the 2003 direct to video sequel), Melanie Monroe, Tate Berney (a child actor who I think I auditioned for a paint commercial a few years back), Dean Alioto (who directed The McPherson Tape, which AGFA just re-released), Carson Durham, Leif Gantvoort, McLean McGown, Allie Smith and Jan Munroe.
There are moments of long silence and just staring as music plays over the film, like some icy break people the dialogue. These types of drama movies usually don't work for me - if you read our site, you know that my heart lies in the blood soaked films of foreign countries, but if you enjoy family drama and lives caught in the balance, perhaps you will enjoy this. As for me, it just reminds me of extended family dinners that feel as if a stick of TNT has been lit and we all either attempt to blow out the fuse or relight it, depending on our temperment.
It has a decent budget and, as we mentioned above, several actors and actresses that you'll recognize from the past.
Heavy Film with Standout Performances
jasonmosel7 March 2021
Once in awhile you watch a film that you really just connect with on a personal level whether its the characters, the plotline, the performances, something about it draws you in, For me Complacent is that film. Cerina Vincent has always been one of those rare actresses who can instantly grab your attention if she's screaming running from some creature or delivering a heartfelt emotional piece. In this film there is a lot of the latter, my ONLY gripe with the film is the over usage of the same piano track during sentimental moments onscreen. From my understanding this film is just now barely seeing the light of day after a release on Apple TV and iTunes in 2021. The Film had a brief stint on Netflix in 2011 and then was unavailable anywhere until recently. Such a shame had this been given proper distribution or maybe a limited theatrical release i could have seen Golden Globe Nominations for Cerina Vincent, Kerri Green and Keir' O Donnel even Joey Kern (He's excellent at playing an stuck up A-hole).
Micro Budget Indie Drama, with decent story but bad casting of female lead...
thealanscott17 May 2010
COMPLACENT directed by Munroe who has been at it for several years appears to be a micro-budget quickly and hastily shot film. The film portrays dysfunctional suburban American life and has multiple characters and multiple relationships. It is kinda like an amateur student film version of MAGNOLIA.
The core relationship is between two sisters Myah (Cerina Vincent) and Beth (Kerri Green) who look nothing like sisters at all. In addition Vincent appears badly cast in this film -- she sports what appear to be large fake breasts, a spray tan, and a hard muscular body and she is supposed to be the moral center of the film, a strong woman all about love, emotion, being real, and standing up against dysfunctional relationships. She would be better cast as a scantily clad screaming girl in a horror flick (which she has done) or the call girl or Bally's personal trainer with fake breasts and a tanning package. Kerri Green as her sister "BETH" gives a stronger performance and is better cast.
The photography and sound is poor in the film -- looks like cheap video and rushed sound editing but these are typical of indie projects. The camera angles too are very jarring and do not cut well together during the dining table scenes (which are used as chapters in the film). And the sets look cheap -- but maybe that was the point being that the film is about middle class suburban America.
There are some positives: Keir O' Donnel, who also acts in the film and gives a strong performance. And the story works overall and has some nice reveals and ties in together well in the end.
The core relationship is between two sisters Myah (Cerina Vincent) and Beth (Kerri Green) who look nothing like sisters at all. In addition Vincent appears badly cast in this film -- she sports what appear to be large fake breasts, a spray tan, and a hard muscular body and she is supposed to be the moral center of the film, a strong woman all about love, emotion, being real, and standing up against dysfunctional relationships. She would be better cast as a scantily clad screaming girl in a horror flick (which she has done) or the call girl or Bally's personal trainer with fake breasts and a tanning package. Kerri Green as her sister "BETH" gives a stronger performance and is better cast.
The photography and sound is poor in the film -- looks like cheap video and rushed sound editing but these are typical of indie projects. The camera angles too are very jarring and do not cut well together during the dining table scenes (which are used as chapters in the film). And the sets look cheap -- but maybe that was the point being that the film is about middle class suburban America.
There are some positives: Keir O' Donnel, who also acts in the film and gives a strong performance. And the story works overall and has some nice reveals and ties in together well in the end.
Strong Performances and Realistic Drama... One Very Heavy Film Indeed
carinasmirnoff5 March 2021
Watched this film last night after hearing about it on social media and i have to say Wow.... If you are someone who suffers from depression or anxiety there are definitely a couple moments in this film that will make you tear up. Solid acting from the entire cast i was very impressed especially with Cerina Vincent who is usually more known for her roles as a scream queen (Cabin Fever, It Waits..., Return To House On Haunted Hill) or being the Yellow Power Ranger from Power Rangers Lost Galaxy, but she really shines here, Keri Green, Joey Kern and everyone else all deliver strong performances also. The ending is a tear jerker i highly recommend.
Complacent: an accurate description of this film's effort
frostyville1 June 2011
IMDb reports the film's budget was 70K, which seems mighty impressive to have been completed for so cheap, but after seeing it, it makes sense, even with a moderate amount of B/C-list celebrity star power.
Overall, the most compelling aspect of the story is whether or not it will get any worse. Each role is so cliché, and it's hard to become attached to any of the characters. Even the children's acting is poor.
Certainly the writing is the worst part of it all. No time was put into the script and I'm not sure how so many familiar faces decided it was a good idea to sign on for this project.
I watched it on Netflix, and I suggest you do not do the same.
Overall, the most compelling aspect of the story is whether or not it will get any worse. Each role is so cliché, and it's hard to become attached to any of the characters. Even the children's acting is poor.
Certainly the writing is the worst part of it all. No time was put into the script and I'm not sure how so many familiar faces decided it was a good idea to sign on for this project.
I watched it on Netflix, and I suggest you do not do the same.
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