The Sallie Gardner Effect: Coz He Doesn't Know Twitter

Issue # 1
Following (1998) Review
by ManicallyDepressed

IMDB

It has a very low budget. It has a cast nobody has heard of. It was shot on a 16mm black-and-white film stock. Expectations are practically zero. And yet it is one of the greatest crime-thriller films I’ve watched. I effortlessly rate this film with 4 asterisks.

A great thriller comprises of good plot elements that throughout the film, add to the hunger of the audience for the ending, and of course, an ending that satisfies that hunger. That’s what this film exactly does. The originality in its plot makes it intriguing. Its smart and fast-paced flow will never bore the audience. The flashback storytelling structure, a technique common to other Nolan’s films (Memento, Batman Begins), adds up to the mystery and helps build-up the story itself. The ending is something one would never expect and it perfectly holds the entire plot.

Several film critics questioned or criticized the unknown cast. I didn’t really care about the actors. The film felt that it didn’t require heavy acting. It is a film that depended more on its plot elements and storytelling. On a different note, the 3 main characters in the film reminded me of the characters in Fight Club (1999).

I intended this movie to be my first review. Among the movies I recently watched, it is the only film I can award 4 asterisks and I wanted my first review to be an unforgettable film.

FUN FACT: There is one scene where a batman symbol can be seen glued on a door. Christopher Nolan’s some kind of a prophet, eh?