New Life [Fantasia International Film Festival Review]
When New Life was over, I sat in my seat and smiled. This movie, which had its world premiere at the 2023 Fantasia International Film Festival, continually surprised and delighted me. I couldn’t predict where the story was going to go. Each time a new piece of the puzzle was revealed, an internal feeling of satisfaction increased. Writer/director John Rosman has made a thriller that’s bursting with surprises. This is a real discovery that deserves to have a long, successful life outside the festival circuit.
Jessica Murdock (Hayley Erin) is on the run. She’s got blood on her face the first time we see her. Police are looking for the young woman, as is Elsa Gray (Sonya Walger), a “fixer” who specializes in tracking down fugitives. Jessica, we’re told, had a fiancée who is now dead. She drops off the grid, stealing clothing and food wherever she can. A kindly farmer and his wife take pity on her after discovering her in their barn. Later, a bar owner gives her a job.
Something terrible happens, several times over. I won’t tell you what it is. New Life offers up a series of tantalizing questions. What’s the point of introducing the idea that Elsa has early onset ALS? What’s up with the flashbacks of Jessica and her fiancée finding a dog while camping in the woods? Did she murder the boyfriend, or is there another explanation? Why was Elsa hired to apprehend her? Is there a connection between the two women? Okay, the answer is “yes” to that last one, although that’s not a spoiler.
Most movies that try to tease out a mystery drop revelations at generally predictable times. New Life does not. Rosman gives the movie an almost syncopated rhythm, clicking pieces into place at moments when you don’t expect it. Elements that initially seem unrelated are suddenly shown to be linked together. About halfway through, we learn a detail that completely changes our perception of what’s occurring. The effect is that the suspense kicks up a notch. Whenever you think the plot can’t possibly become any more riveting, it finds a way. All the mounting tension builds to an explosive climax.
Hayley Erin gives a sensational performance as Jessica. The role is tricky because our understanding of the character shifts slightly in a crucial way. She makes sure we feel the weight of Jessica’s predicament. Sonya Walger is equally good, giving Elsa a weary, worn-out quality that unexpectedly compliments her professional determination. The fixer may be tired, but she’s not quitting. Both actresses are extremely well cast, guaranteeing the film packs as big a punch as possible.
All the way around, New Life proves to be a daring, inventive chiller that marks John Rosman as a director to watch.
New Life is unrated, but contains adult language and strong violence. The running time is 1 hour and 25 minutes.
