Love, drugs and poverty collide in Philadelphia, forcing its people to come together and fight for themselves and each other. That is the main substance of Marc Webber's directorial debut, Explicit Ills. I don't want to reveal any more for fear of ruining the climatic, last second jolt that will really put the film into perspective.
But with that said I have to say that I wasn't extremely impressed with this film. To me the film was choppy, random and had an ending that was long overdue, thus resulting in a film with a powerful message that loses its audience halfway through.
My main complaint with this film is its approach. Dealing with such a powerful subject matter, you would think that the film would bask in it and make it obvious with its point. However, Marc Webber chooses to use the wow factor and reveal the main focus of the film within the last five minutes. The approach was a risk and although I feel it would have been okay with other films, it just didn't work here.
But with that said I do have to commend the cast for their amazing work. From Rosario Dawson and Paul Dano to Frankie Shaw and Joe Hansard everyone was a force within the film, bringing their characters to life and showing their inner pain and confusion. And you can't overlook the on-screen chemistry as it is a rarity when such a large cast is present.
And then there is the film's main thriving point, its cinematography. Four stories are originally told, each revealing a group of characters who are all brought together for one cause. Each story has a different color scheme matching the moods of those involved. Though it will be overlooked by many, the feat does nothing but raise eyebrows to big movie fans as it helps to create a distinctive separation that will only help solidify their merger. It is hard to really explain how captivating the colors are and how much ump they bring to the final film, but if for no other reason you should see this film for its cinematography as it is a diamond within a rough film.
