Navigating Through the Storm of Addiction

Read Time:3 Minute, 38 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Borderline
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Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Year Released: 2023
Runtime: 1h 40m
Director(s): Rich Mallery
Writer(s): Rich Mallery
Cast: Kate Lý Johnston, Kylee Michael, Irmon Hill, Quentin Boyer, Jennifer Penner, Sloane Wilson, Patricia Mizen, Chris Spinelli
Where To Watch: on Tubi now, will launch on Cable and Digital VOD, including Prime Video

RAVING REVIEW: Embarking upon a journey that unfolds amidst the ravaging storms of a mental health battle and desolation, BORDERLINE endeavors to craft something sturdy enough to navigate the viewer through the tumultuous seas of Charli’s (Kate Lý Johnston) unraveling world. Her portrayal is fragile and fiery, and the audience is teased with poignant glimpses into the abyss of mental health and substance abuse. The uncharted territories of emotional depth and psychological complexity offer myriad narrative possibilities. Yet, the film occasionally finds itself adrift amidst the sprawling ocean of its ambitions, pondering the divergent paths traveled by captivating stories and their on-screen executions.

BORDERLINE, directed by Rich Mallery, navigates through the intricate emotional struggles and dependency channels that many struggle with. It provides a stage where reality and psychological ups and downs intertwine, yet sometimes entangling its sails in a web of thematic and narrative ambiguity. Through the lens, we witness Charli grappling with the winding tendrils of Borderline Personality Disorder and addiction, attempting to secure an anchor in the choppy waters of her relationships, notably those with Zee and Kyle, ardently brought to life by Kylee Michael and Irmon Hill, respectively.

Charli’s relationships have an undercurrent of emotional complexity, especially in her unethical interactions with Trevor (Quentin Boyer.) Although these interactions offer a potential window into the recesses of Charli's psychological state and the domino effect it could imprint upon her interpersonal relationships, the exploration seems somewhat hemmed in, scraping the surface of an intricate psychological tapestry that is itching to be unraveled.

Occasional bursts of genuine emotional resonance emerge, offering moments where the viewer is pulled into the whirlpool of concealed pain, despair, and internal chaos. The narrative sometimes trails into the mirage of its thematic ambitions, often nudging towards a more profound exploration but hesitating to plunge into the depths of its complex thematic ocean. BORDERLINE, amidst its indie charms and unfiltered aura, occasionally finds its environment shaded by its palpable budgetary constraints, offering the audience intermittent moments where the sound and set design fleetingly peek through the crafted visual and auditory spectacle.

BORDERLINE rises at moments where the narrative dares to infuse elements of thrill and injects a dose of adrenaline yet tends to stagger in integrating the emotional and narrative strands that preceded it, somewhat tapering the overall impact of its climax and leaving the audience clinging to the fragments of what might have been a more seamlessly woven narrative tapestry. The most significant shock to me was the acting; some genuinely strong performances kept the film afloat.

BORDERLINE shows the whispers of potent storytelling and evocative emotional undertones that linger, echoing tales of journeys through the treacherous landscapes of mental health and the myriad of challenges that ripple through its cinematic translation. As the final frames fade, the audience is left adrift, contemplating the narratives that might have been and pondering the path that might guide future cinematic expeditions more securely through the intricate archipelagos of raw human emotion and story unfolding.

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[photo courtesy of CINEMA EPOCH]

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