DVD Review: Collaborator

Blu-ray Reviews, Reviews

David Morse has a face that most fans of film can recognize, even if the name seems unfamiliar. He’s had roles in many major Hollywood films, such as The Green Mile and Disturbia, and while he’s always been reliable to deliver the goods in whatever role he plays, he’s never quite stolen the show as much as he does in Collaborator.

The film is an interesting character study about a playwright named Robert (Martin Donovan), and his neighbour Gus (Morse), whose paths intersect in the most unconventional of ways. Robert has just released his latest play in New York to scathing critical reviews, and in order to escape from it all, he heads to Los Angeles to visit his mother. While the critics are bad, he’s also running away from his life in general, as he hasn’t been home to see his wife and two children in months. And with his career floundering and his life at home not fully satisfying, he’s also looking to rekindle a “what could have been” romance with a famous actress (Olivia Williams).

While staying with his mom, Robert notices that his childhood neighbour Gus is back at home, though his mother Irene (Who’s the Boss‘s Katherine Helmond) informs him that the only time Gus ever left was when he was in and out of prison. While Robert was never friends with Gus when they were younger, that doesn’t stop Gus from inviting himself over for some beers so that the two can talk about what they’ve been up to in life. However, when the police arrive not long after to warn Robert that his neighbour is dangerous and on the loose, Gus takes Robert hostage, and the two begin to chip away at the truths of their lives through the use of improvisational dialogue, a technique which Robert told Gus he uses when creating characters for his plays that Gus quickly became enamored with.

Donovan, a long time actor, shows he’s got a talent for writing and directing as well by keeping the tension on a steady rise, while also mixing it with a hefty dose of humour without ever truly compromising the seriousness of the situation that these two characters find themselves in. The film is just 87 minutes in length; however, it comes off feeling perfectly paced, with character progression and the changes in tone that accompany it feeling completely natural.

On the acting front, Morse just steals the show; he completely embodying Gus to the point where he’s someone the viewer just wants to see more of. While Gus isn’t an innocent, or overly dignified man, Morse does such a good job bringing the character to life that one can’t help but feel sympathetic for the guy at times – even though he’s the one with the gun in this hostage situation.

And while it is a hostage situation, it doesn’t play out like one that we usually see on TV and the movies, where there are constant demands being made, people being threatened and shots being fired. No, this is a much calmer hostage situation, as Gus really does just seem to want to drink some beers with Robert, and “shoot the shit.”

Donovan has a very distinctive delivery in the way he plays Robert, and it works quite well for the back and forth with Morse as it gives them both two very unique voices. While his words sometimes lack emotional conviction, Donovan does some great work alongside Morse, especially in the latter half of the film. On the writing and directing front, there’s definitely a future for Donovan if he chooses to go that route, as he definitely has the creativity and ability to tell some interesting stories.

Collaborator is a film that’s worth checking out, especially if you’re in the mood for a character study that offers something different. The chemistry between Donovan and Morse is really where this film shines, as the two play off one another extremely well during the time they’re on screen together – which is pretty much 80% of the film.

The audio and video transfer of this film is solid, with the video quality looking sharp, and no scenes ever pulling the viewer out of the story due to even a momentary drop in quality.

Interview with Martin Donovan – This is a quick interview that’s just under four minutes in length with the writer/director and star of Collaborator, who talks about the film and his work on it.

Interview with Olivia Williams – This is another quick interview that’s just over four minutes in length, and sees Williams talk about the film and her work on it as well.

Collaborator is a suspenseful dark comedy that really works. There’s a constant sense of tension that comes along with any hostage situation where the outcome is always unknown, and yet the film is able to balance a solid amount of humour – sometimes laugh out loud worth – to coincide with the suspense without ever taking away from it.

Entertainment One/DVF Distribution Presents Collaborator. Written and Directed by: Martin Donovan. Starring: Martin Donovan, David Morse, Olivia Williams, Katherine Helmond. Running time: 87 minutes. Rating: 14A. Released: March 5, 2013. Available at Amazon.com.

Brendan Campbell was here when Inside Pulse Movies began, and he’ll be here when it finishes - in 2012, when a cataclysmic event wipes out the servers, as well as everyone else on the planet other than John Cusack and those close to him. Brendan’s the #1 supporter of Keanu Reeves, a huge fan of popcorn flicks and a firm believer that sheer entertainment can take a film a long way. He currently resides in Canada, where, for reasons stated above, he’s attempting to get closer to John Cusack.