An Anxiety Driven Look at Ourselves in the Mirror

Read Time:3 Minute, 5 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Millie Lies Low

Genre: Comedy, Drama
Year Released: 2021
Runtime: 1h 40m
Director: Michelle Savill
Writer(s): Michelle Savill (Writer), Eli Kent (co-writer)
Cast: Ana Scotney, Chris Alosio, Alice May Connolly
Where To Watch: premieres at New York’s Quad Cinema on June 30, 2023, followed by additional markets

From first time feature-length director Michelle Savill comes a film based on persona experience that is truly a part of the current zeitgeist. She didn’t do this alone, though; the cement of the film was the lead Ana Scotney (Millie) and her incredible ability to sell the emotions that she is experiencing on screen. A well-written movie is nothing without a cast that can portray the story on screen and vice versa; an incredible cast can be lost without proper direction and writing. Scotney has a few other feature roles under her belt and some TV series but still is a relative newcomer, and she gets to shine in this film, proving her big-screen appeal.

A straightforward premise, and I feel that I can give this away without spoiling anything; we see Millie about to head off to a new chapter in her life when she hits an anxiety-filled moment that suddenly changes her entire course in a matter of moments. She misses a flight and, in doing so, has to come to terms with the fallout of family and friends’ perception of what she’s done. One of the aspects that makes this such a fantastic watch is that it’s relatable. I could put myself in her shoes 100% without question. I don’t know how I would react afterward, but her journey most definitely isn’t out of the question. It feels at moments that she’s in a fight and willing to do what it takes to prove that in the end, she’ll make it out victorious. Truly a case of survival of the fittest, Millie wants to prove who she is.

One of the fabulous things about this film is that it comes in at almost two hours but could have just as easily been a short film as well. That’s where the magic comes in; there wasn’t a single moment that I was sitting here where I felt like I was struggling with the story’s pacing. There were creative things done throughout the film to expand on short moments. We experience Millie’s anxiety and emotional turmoil throughout the movie without it feeling forced. There were multiple moments where I was actively on the edge of my seat, rooting for the story to go in a particular direction.

I prefer simple stories; I think it’s too easy to create an overly complex narrative and stuff it full of irrelevant information. However, if you’re telling a simple story that goes from point A to Z, it’s much harder to fill those moments on screen with information that builds the story and makes it a whole instead of simply throwing more useless information at us. That was probably one of my favorite parts of this film; everything that happened seemed necessary. The information we were given throughout helped to add to the characters in the movie. Millie was the main character, but I don’t think the film would have worked as well without the surrounding cast. It was a perfect storm of many different elements coming together.

For more reviews and my YouTube channel, please visit linktr.ee/Overlyhonestmoviereviews

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Find my social media accounts on most platforms simply by searching Overly Honest Movie Reviews.

I’m always happy to hear from my readers; please say hi or send me any questions about all things movies.