When tech billionaire Slater King meets cocktail waitress Frida at his fundraising gala, he invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. As strange things start to happen, Frida questions her reality.
Zoë Kravitz has made a name for herself, starring in many feature films, including blockbusters like “The Batman” and independent features like “Kimi.” With the release of “Blink Twice,” Kravitz takes her shot behind the camera in the director’s chair. Not only is the film her directorial debut, but she also co-wrote the screenplay with E.T. Feigenbaum.
Frida (Naomi Ackie) is a cocktail waitress with her roommate Jess (Alia Shawkat). The pair are introduced in their rundown apartment, the constant dripping of water invading the soundtrack as Frida surfs her phone for information on tech mogul Slater King (Channing Tatum) while using the toilet. It’s a brief, glamourless introduction for the characters, setting up a dichotomy for their soon-to-happen excursion.
The pair happen to be preparing to work a gala event that Slater is hosting. While working the gala, the women sneak away to don dresses and join in the festivities. This setup aspect requires more than a bit of suspension of disbelief — wouldn’t their co-workers recognize them and turn them in? No matter, the scheme works, and the two find themselves entering into the folds of Slater and his crew — Vic (Christian Slater), Cody (Simon Rex), Tom (Haley Joel Osment), Lucas (Levon Hawke), Sarah (Adria Arjona), Camilla (Liz Caribel), and Heather (Trew Mullen). Frida and Jess are whisked away to Slater’s private island at the night’s end.
Paradise awaits. The island is a dream come true for Frida. Slater’s house is a lavish, resort-like mansion with a pool and finely manicured lawns. All necessities are provided for them. Their days are filled with alcohol and drugs as they lounge around the pool, and the nights (at least from what they can remember) are even more wild. Soon, the group falls into a repetitive routine. As the sun-drenched days blend together, Frida and Jess realize something strange is happening around them.
“Blink Twice” is a tough film to discuss without giving away specific plot points, and even discussing the eventual themes of the movie veers into spoiler territory. There are a couple of obvious ones that don’t ruin anything — the idea of rich versus poor and the motif of memory (or lack of it). What exactly are these people doing every night?
Kravitz’s film is propulsive, moving gracefully from plot point to plot point (mostly). This is a film that sucks you in with its stylistic photography and effective sound design. It’s not afraid to make you laugh and, later, to make you repulsed.
The acting ensemble is fantastic. Ackie and Tatum carry this film very well. Tatum is much better cast here than in the recent “Fly Me to the Moon.” The supporting cast is just as good. Shawkat and Ackie are a believable pairing, with the duo acting as a nice foil to the rest of Slater’s crew (who are all a good fit for their roles).
As the film starts to wrap up, things get a little messy. Some of the final act has a bit of a forced quality. It’s not detracting enough to ruin an otherwise good movie (and it is a satisfying conclusion to the story). Still, it is disappointing that the filmmakers couldn’t completely stick the landing. “Blink Twice” is an engaging thriller that ultimately serves as a cautionary tale.
In Theaters Friday, August 23rd
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