Nightride (2022) Review
It’s debatable whether or not the “single-shot” film has overstayed its welcome. Personally, I think it’s a fun gimmick (yet a gimmick nonetheless) that adds an extra layer of “flavor” into a movie that knows how to utilize it correctly. Birdman is a fascinating example of this; with a neurotic drumline that pulsates tension into every camera movement as we follow Michael Keaton’s descent into madness. Coupled with Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s thematically resonant narrative on aging and stardom – the film amounts to much more than a few cool frames when the “single-shot” gimmick revs into gear. 1917, on the other hand, favors spectacle over narrative and, yet, arguably succeeds in utilizing the “single shot” just as well as Birdman. Stephen Fingleton’s Nightride takes a claustrophobic approach with the “single-shot” and frames it around a simple, yet engaging, crime thriller. At its best, it proves what an impact a film with a small budget and a vision can have; especially one so sleekly directed and focused for a breezy 95 minutes. It suffers from, at times, an overbearing keenness on “cheeky” dialogue and slight plot conveniences but overall – it’s a great time.
The film opens with Budge (Moe Dunford) and his girlfriend Sofia (Joana Ribeiro) sharing an emotionally intense moment before he heads out into the night for “one last job.” With a roaring neon soundtrack, it’s hard not to be reminded of Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive in the early moments but Nightride strays away from resemblances soon after. Dunford, being onscreen for the damn-near entirety, does a fantastic job at playing the morally divided “driver” with a palatable mix of hardened cheekiness – as well as humanity. All the other characters are introduced through Budge’s frantic phone calls attempting to organize a pickup and dropoff of illicit goods; a story that comes together very tightly by the end. It may feel like a lot to keep up with during the initial moments but screenwriter Ben Conway does a solid job at easing the viewer into the circumstance. The dialogue itself feels punctual in nature – yet manages to bring out actual characterization which feels necessary for a film like this. The characters themselves feel varied too and are all integral to the narrative; leaving no room for unnecessary story beats. Though there are serious stakes for our protagonist, the film never manages to take itself too seriously – leaning much more heavily into crafting an experience that feels like an entertaining adrenaline ride than a ponderous thriller. And though either would make a great film, Fingleton understands the scope of this movie and executes it in stylish fashion.
As for the technical side, the cinematography and camerawork are consistently on point in this film; always striking a tonal balance with the tension on screen. Though being a “single-shot” thriller, cinematographer David Bird wastes no screen time in jumping from the static claustrophobic angles within the car immediately to the action outside; showcasing an assortment of locations in Belfast. And along with an immersive electronic score from Phil Kieran, there isn’t quite a moment in this movie which feels as if it drags along.
Nightride succeeds in its efforts to be a simply scripted “single-shot” thriller – even though its story beats by the end feel predictably convenient. And even with that, it doesn’t detract away from the viewing experience in a negative fashion. Dunford does a fantastic job at being a likable, yet hardened, criminal trying to get away from it all. Fingleton’s direction is sleek and engaging coupled with Conway’s tense, yet humorous, script. Put that together with David Brid’s confident cinematography and Phil Kieran’s electric score – and you got yourself a winner here. This is definitely gonna be a film that passes a lot of people’s radars so if you’re interested in a breezy, yet engaging, thriller – don’t let this one pass you by.
