Paul Conroy is an American citizen serving as a U.S. contractor in Iraq. Painfully aware of his dangerous duties overseas, Conroy has lived a stressful life, transporting goods to civilians since the start of the War on Terrorism. But now, on this fateful night, Conroy wakes to find himself buried six feet underground inside a wooden coffin. With only a lighter and a cell phone to his benefit, he must adapt to his surroundings and think of a way out. With only so much air, it is literally a race against the clock.
Starring the physical presence of one man, Ryan Reynolds, Buried comes off more like a one-man play rather than an actual feature length film. The camera never leaves the presence of the coffin, following Conroy's journey from his waking moment to his fate's final verdict. And while you might think the film would never work, Rodrigo Cortes does wonders to make it all come together and form one of the best movies at this year's Sundance Festival.
It is hard to fully elaborate on exactly why this film is so good, without giving away key plot points that could possibly ruin the film for some people. In a nutshell, the film is unpredictable, intense, and features possibly the best performance of Reynolds's career.
Working hard to keep the energy and story up, Reynolds must never loose sight of his end goal. He speaks only to himself and through a cell phone, relies on a lighter for light (one that consequently uses his limited supply of oxygen), and must battle the forces of nature"”all while sitting in a state of uncertainty within a small wooden box meant for the already dead. It is an understatement to say the film is busy and involved, and it would be a shame for anyone to categorize Reynolds's performance as anything short of exceptional.
But all the credit shouldn't go to Reynolds; director Rodrigo Cortes did an amazing job at grasping the story and turning it into an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride, one that can be understood and appreciated by a truly universal audience. The intense maneuver of the camera and his ability to appear close up without leaving anything out of frame displays his immense talent. It was a difficult feature to deal with, and yet, Cortes made it work brilliantly, capturing the intensity and raw emotion with pinpoint precision.
Both men come together to create a new type of thriller. For those fearing its "˜horror' qualities, know that the film is not scary. Instead, it is intense, crazy, and all too realistic. Making for an unforgettable movie experience that no one should miss.
Buried has been purchased by Lionsgate with a release date pending.
