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First, the Recap:
The inevitable cessation of life. Whether wishing to admit it or not, one day we all must face leaving this world, ideally after a long, fulfilling existence of meaning and establishing a proven legacy that did well not just for us, but for others along the way. Yet, in this currently unstable world we find ourselves inhabiting, what if the decisions we made were instead far more questionable, and the ramifications much less constructive? Could you face the music? For Mayor Gibson (Michael Walls), his son Don (Andrew Medeiros), and daughter Lizzie (Sarah Hirsch), this will become the query that overtly and suddenly dominates their lives with a lasting, potentially drastic ending for all who find themselves caught in a web of contentiously unsettling choices and the aftermath they’ve now wrought.
Next, my Mind:
Dark, unvarnished, assuredly brutal, yet utterly, eerily compelling and decisively persuasive in the messages it ultimately carries, this sobering dramatic thriller from writer/director/producer/executive producer Andrew Medeiros and writer/director/producer Colby Cyrus wastes no time in showcasing the ability independent cinema has to take what could, in this case, been an average, perhaps even forced genre picture and instead manages to surprise with the relevancy of its grander intent and moral, a reflection of our current society, elevating the project more than this critic remotely anticipated when first watching it. Honestly, it’s an unapologetic statement being offered here, initially veiled for the most part but then thrust into our minds with quite a bit of purposeful (albeit bloody) visual intensity that more than successfully cements its cause and leaves you with that undeniably indelible mark in your thoughts post film.
Told from multiple perspectives that all come together by the finale, the narrative addresses the harried, constantly building, totally unsettling state of affairs manifesting in the lives of a town mayor and his children as they must all face the consequences of a father’s political missteps and soon-regretted policy choices whose ripple effects are, needless to say, emphatically felt by the guilty and innocent alike. Integrating thematic turns that encompass the current condition of our nation’s overpopulated prison system, COVID-19, revenge, and politicians attempting to save face rather than accepting responsibility, what truly caught me a little off guard were what this critic felt were NOT necessarily elements I would have seen coming via also conveying explorations of how we see ourselves, the pressures of being treated as an outsider, further inadequacy issues, the desire to just BE who we really are, and the notion of being in positions of affluence is NOT immunity from consequence.
Each of these get at least some screen time here, and given what the primary gist of the film is and how it’s being executed, those additional concepts stick out against an admittedly bleak backdrop, still finding a way to remain feasible in the greater scope of events. In fact, maybe it IS the inclusion and illustration of these more human traits and inner battles we face that make the story end up working on the level it does, for as I hinted at above, this otherwise could have been a mediocre effort. While the objectives I felt were on display may definitely be handled to a FAR more extreme manner than one would ever hope would ACTUALLY occur, it IS this atmosphere it all engenders that still speaks so deeply to the real chaos, the hurt, and, sadly, violent circumstances we witness unfolding in our country way too much recently, and to address a hotbed topic through this style of film, to me, is a bold, fearless move to ideally end up raising awareness to what we SHOULD be paying attention to, and hoping our leaders do something about it all.
By the time we reach the film’s unflinchingly unrestrained finale that decidedly makes its point, it’s still what at that juncture has made it evident it all HAS a reason for being that way rather than being a blatantly gratuitous mess. Acting-wise, for this critic, the overall impression would be classified as adeptly solid, with perhaps a FEW instances where the emotional quotient felt JUST a bit more melodramatic than believable, but then also had an equal number of sequences that were perfectly enacted, energetically volatile and menacingly fervent as they should be. Walls portrays Mayor Gibson, a man about to find out that the decisions he’s made, out of political pressure and due necessity in his mind, will have massive and harsh repercussions upon him and his family. As he finds himself in the midst of a much larger plot against him, the errors of his choices sink in deeper, and Walls depicts this panicked and remorseful demeanor well.
Medeiros exudes the intentionally, overwhelmingly arrogant attitude needed for his character throughout, becoming that person you just love to hate via his role as Don, the mayor’s “trust fund”-spoiled son who treats his (involuntary) “posse” to a weekend party at the family home, unbeknownst to him and his guests that things are about to go south with no impunity involved, a bitter lesson in believing you’re an “untouchable” or above reproach. Hirsch aims for delivering a bearing that exhibits both her own degree of self-assuredness with buried vulnerability that may end up getting forced to the surface through her role as Lizzie, the mayor’s daughter and Don’s sister who is the target of the latter’s disdain and maltreatment, even as the reasoning behind it likewise gets pushed to the forefront when she butts heads with Don at the start of their weekend getaway. As more about her is revealed, it only elevates the tensions yet also allows her moments of catharsis. But, will it last? Hirsch is convincing all-around.
Cyrus exercises some seriously fluctuating (planned, mind you), emotive acting through his turn as River, Lizzie’s calm, collected boyfriend who becomes a key factor in the story’s emerging facets and direction. Primary supporting turns are then made by Taylor Carter as Mary, Don’s understandably reluctant yet loyal girlfriend who stands by him even when others don’t understand, Michelle Pauker is Morgan, another of Don’s invited guests along with her girlfriend Blair, played by Jen Davis, who both just want to have fun like everyone else until matters turn severely twisted, with both actresses very keenly working their respective character’s “confident then distressed” approach to great effect. Additional supporting parts arrive through Jacqueline Cotterll as Tina, Deirdre O’Neill as Mayor Gibson’s wife Jacqueline, and Derek Cyrus. So, in total, “Exitus” is, forgive this, a bloody good effort that demonstrates both appeal to genre fans while presenting a viable message about today’s world, the equally valid need for said concerns to be addressed, and holding to hope for called-for change.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
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