WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Being in a corporal state of cognizance. It could be argued, and quite rationally, that we pride ourselves on KNOWING the usually overt difference between being asleep and being awake. Whether it’s the typical notion of closing one’s eyes and resting vs. being conspicuously active and alert, the truth of what point in our awareness and function we’re at is usually irrefutable. But, what might occur when suddenly everything we’ve acknowledged as such gets completely, definitively, and frighteningly altered? Jason (Karel Konings) is enjoying how the end of a date with the beautiful Luci (Simone Peters) is going. Yet, when he wakes the next morning, she is gone, entirely without a trace, as is his whole reality. Ascertaining what must be going on, Jason attempts to wake himself up, only to then find what he thought was the answer is only the beginning of the rabbit hole he’s falling down–with no immediate way out.
Next, my Mind:
While not at ALL stating this as if there is a LACK of originality in U.S.-based indie cinema, especially as my personal experience over the last 10 years has proven that as untrue as anything one could feasibly argue. BUT, I LOVE foreign films and the independent artists behind it who bring their own, this critic feels, unique and fresh approach to projects that stands out just as much within the greater genre of that corner of the industry as it does here in the States. An example, you say? How about the 20-minute short film from the Netherlands which arrived courtesy of writer/director/producer/editor Nick ter Beek along with producer Adit Ram that showcases a totally engaging degree of character and story-driven intelligence and overall filmmaking competency while also giving us a visually adept, fully entertaining, mind-bending ride that captures you from beginning to end quite efficiently and with purposeful dramatic intent combined with a thriller’s soul.
Feeling like a more trippy, even unsettling, but wholly satisfying journey contained within the scope of a foundational concept that brings to mind shadows of what could be construed as a dark “Groundhog Day” meets “Inception”, the narrative that sees a man’s evening starting one way only to severely diverge into the eerily unnerving unknown and the ongoing battle that follows to find a means to escape it is beautifully executed in order to allow the weight and impact of the events depicted to initially come about with an unforeseen suddenness that isn’t at all given away prior to it all occurring. Frankly, the film could almost seem a tad unimpressive at first in the manner it carries itself at first, but make no mistake, once it DOES hit a key series of moments a few minutes in, the momentum increases exponentially and maintains that to the end. Soon, it’s an all-out adventure into one man’s entire actuality, the chaos he is experiencing, and the frantic endeavors he’s taking on to try and liberate himself from it–without going utterly MAD.
It’s a wonderfully written exercise in time, our understanding of it, being trapped in the moments we carry with us, while also compellingly reminding us about what it is to have the courage to take that leap INTO what we don’t have precise answers for, that step of faith, discovering the confidence to even go beyond what we’ve made our comfort zones, what we’ve done to illustrate (whether literally or figuratively) these elements for improvement and self-challenge, that we might finally confront then conquer our inner fears and return to a normalcy we genuinely need. The film’s utilization of flashbacks highlighting a recurring key moment the lead character had is smartly interjected amidst the increasingly frenetic state of being he’s encountering, leading up to the what I feel was a brilliant finale that, again for ME personally, made me want to ask the question in my mind “IS that coin still spinning on the tabletop??”. Mainstream movie fans should appreciate that reference, just saying. It’s a definitively captivating atmosphere brought to the screen here, the ongoing testament to indie film’s storytelling prowess and much needed quality.
Konings brings a highly emotive and measured magnitude of both muted and evident emotional energy to his performance here as Jason, a man simply wishing to enjoy a newly formed and already steadily building relationship with his girlfriend Luci as they both are initially enjoying a playfully mild nightcap to a date night they’ve returned from. However, the happiness and discussions of the future get an unwelcome wake-up call for Jason, whose entire awareness of what he wakes up to throws his existence into an immediate disturbing and confusing frenzy. As he continues to have recollections about being with Luci, the truth of what he’s now having to endure becomes a place of both being ensnared to the point of hysteria and a desperately in need to release inner upheaval and take a jump into what he’s needed to do for a substantial time. I just admired Konings ability to not overact the volatility necessary in portraying a character who ends up on the edge, rather very deftly delivering the perfect amount of emotive force, subtle or explosive, at the right moments to capture the plight Jason is facing and having to resolve.
The primary supporting appearance is made here by Peters as Simone, Jason’s girlfriend and a key factor in his unanticipated dilemma, perhaps being the only memory he seems to retain while sorting out how to abscond from a new form of imprisonment. I like Peters’ understated yet powerful presence in the film, making Simone an endearing but ultimately enigmatic facet to the story. Additional appearances come from Jan Capel and Anita Veldhuijzen as Jason’t father and mother respectively whose scenes are likewise surreal given Jason’s ongoing and continuously unfolding circumstances. So, in total, “Lucid” acutely encapsulates the depth of human nature as it pertains to self-identity, our habit of not being willing to take chances, the ramifications of NOT doing so, trying to maintain an anchor for our sanity, and learning to push forward even when we don’t know the outcome for sure, all to then be immersed into what we ideally hope is a freedom of mind, body, soul, and spirit that we may FINALLY see clearly, lucidly even. Because otherwise…….ARE we only dreaming?
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
