Over (2015) is directed by Jorn Threlfall and tells, in reverse order, the story of a peaceful suburban neighbourhood which is briefly hit by a shocking event.
Over is probably my favourite film out of the exam board's selection of films as I think that it is incredibly impactful and respects its audience. The film takes its time to tell its story which, while it may test the patience of some viewers, makes both the final reveal and the overall message of the film all the more impactful. Almost every shot in the film - aside from a series of close ups of police evidence - is an extreme long shot, which forces the viewer to search the frame for details and clues about the crime which kept me gripped for the entire length of the film. The film is structured so that the day's events unfold in reverse order which, for some, may seem gimmicky, however I found that this was an effective way to build intrigue and maintain the attention of the audience. This structure also makes you think back to and understand the importance of earlier shots in the film once the big reveal has taken place.
The overall style of the film reminded me a lot of Michael Haneke and I would be surprised if Threlfall had not been influenced by his work. The use of extreme long shots and, in particular, shots where you can see people speaking in the distance but cannot hear what is being said, which create ambiguity and force the audience to pay close attention. I can't see the story working if it had been told in another way, so I think that this style was fully-warranted and brilliantly executed.
I don't think that I would aim to use a reverse narrative in my film, at least not to begin with. I think that it would be difficult to try and think of a story that would work when told in this format and imagine that, instead, the more practical way would be to think of the story itself first, then decide on the most effective structure to tell it. I would, however, love to make a film with a similar directorial style to Over, and will consider this option when storyboarding my film.
Over is probably my favourite film out of the exam board's selection of films as I think that it is incredibly impactful and respects its audience. The film takes its time to tell its story which, while it may test the patience of some viewers, makes both the final reveal and the overall message of the film all the more impactful. Almost every shot in the film - aside from a series of close ups of police evidence - is an extreme long shot, which forces the viewer to search the frame for details and clues about the crime which kept me gripped for the entire length of the film. The film is structured so that the day's events unfold in reverse order which, for some, may seem gimmicky, however I found that this was an effective way to build intrigue and maintain the attention of the audience. This structure also makes you think back to and understand the importance of earlier shots in the film once the big reveal has taken place.
The overall style of the film reminded me a lot of Michael Haneke and I would be surprised if Threlfall had not been influenced by his work. The use of extreme long shots and, in particular, shots where you can see people speaking in the distance but cannot hear what is being said, which create ambiguity and force the audience to pay close attention. I can't see the story working if it had been told in another way, so I think that this style was fully-warranted and brilliantly executed.
I don't think that I would aim to use a reverse narrative in my film, at least not to begin with. I think that it would be difficult to try and think of a story that would work when told in this format and imagine that, instead, the more practical way would be to think of the story itself first, then decide on the most effective structure to tell it. I would, however, love to make a film with a similar directorial style to Over, and will consider this option when storyboarding my film.
Thoughtful comments - I'm glad you enjoyed this film about such an important topic.
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