Mass Review // Let's find out if it's worth watching

Mass (2021)

I saw Mass at Sundance earlier this year and it just absolutely wrecked me. Without further Ado, let's get into why you might want to give it a watch. Two couples come together in the aftermath of a violent tragedy that affected their lives in different ways.

Okay, so first off, this is a very emotional movie that deals with a terrible tragedy. The story could be triggering because of just how devastating it is. This stars Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton, Anne Dowd and Reed Birney. And it is written and directed by Fran Kranz. If you're not familiar with Kranz, he's the stoner dude that looked like Shaggy in the horror comedy The Cabin in the Woods (for those who have watched the movie). As a first time director, this dude knocks it out of the park.

The film begins with a nervous energy and there's a timidity or uneasiness on the part of a church employee who starts the scene. And this sets off the tone for what we can expect from the entire movie. There is a sense of dread that feels like it's coming, and it's almost oppressive with the anticipation that is being created.

During the beginning, before the meat of the story is delved into, the dialogue is vague. And there are a couple of people talking and getting things ready for a gathering. And we think we know what the coming meeting is going to be about, but it's never spoken directly. And this creates a very troubling atmosphere.

This is a single setting film that plays out a lot like a stage play. And because the setting is just a room inside a church with very little decoration, the performances and dialogue drive this story. Honestly , the words and the delivery, they are raw and emotional. The actors give a soul-bearing dialogue. The truth in their performances made each character relatable, even though what they experienced very few will ever encounter.
And I was able to see each perspective that the parents exhibit through their performances.

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This story and the way it plays out is just devastating. The couples are processing their emotions and grief right in front of us, trying to understand or maybe even rationalize what went on. They're asking the impossible questions to know the mind of somebody who's no longer there. They're wanting answers, all the while knowing that their desire to know is never going to be satisfied.

This story is anxiety filled from the very start, and it doesn't ever relent. It only intensifies through every passing minute. Jason Isaacs is so vulnerable and angry.
He's trying to put meaning to actions. He's attempting to wrap his head around what transpired and then trying to find meaning in the abyss of grief. And the restraint he displays, I thought, was powerful and heartbreaking.

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Martha Plimpton gets to deliver what I think are the most critical and devastating lines of dialogue in this. And she is utterly powerful. And if you're not crying by this point, then something's not right. On the other side of the table are Ann Dowd and Reed Birney, and they have a difficult role to play as parents of the perpetrator of the tragedy. That'd be easy to side against them, and sometimes we do. But they also expertly craft characters who can be devastated and ashamed, but at the same time wanting to defend actions simply because it's their child they're discussing.
And as the couples discuss, the conversation boils to just this excruciating point. And then in a feat that's very hard to imagine, it keeps building. The apprehension and devastation just pile on to make a scenario that is just about suffocating.

This story is crafted with the characters in mind. While the story itself is very engaging, if the actors cannot connect with us and then build out players that are sympathetic, it's not going to matter how compelling that story is. Unfortunately, the actors each get moments to shine.
They give such nuanced performances that really exude realism and then authenticity.

I mentioned how this resembles a stage play, and I love how the characters move about the small space. There are limited places that they can go, but they are able to create effective separation just through their body positions. And that separation isn't just a physical distancing, but it's emotional as well. And they achieve it by simply a turn of the shoulders or maybe even huddling together. Every small movement speaks to the emotions that are present, even if those emotions aren't verbalized.

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I'm not sure this is a story in a movie that you're going to actively want to watch repeatedly, and not because it's not a great story being told, but just because it's devastating to watch. I will re-watch this just to experience the performances, but this isn't going to be something that I gravitate towards on a regular basis.

Yes, it's a slow burn of a story, but it doesn't drag in the slightest. I was riveted and I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. And the pacing is deliberate, but it's not rushed, and it allows us to be enveloped in all of the emotional upheaval.

Madison is an emotionally draining drama with a simple but effective story that relies on the actress's skills to fully engage us. The performances are raw and compelling, executed in such an intimate way that is nothing short of devastating. And the single setting works to create an environment that is sterile and plain, and that contrasts with the visceral emotions.

First time director Fran Kranz demonstrates great promise as a Helmer, who is able to evoke guttural performances designed to intrigue us and devastate us. To be honest, I don't mind giving Mass 10/10. For me, it was really a great movie to watch and I recommend it. Thanks for your time!