“Fear of Rain”

7.9

Strong “Words on Bathroom Walls” vibes, in the best possible way.

The art of cinema can be a compelling force. Helping us, as a society, to look in the mirror and reflect on our treatment of those with mental health issues can be a great force for good. This film struck a delicate balance between ensuring the extremes were felt and not getting too silly and over the top. They paid homage to the original Wes Craven trick of “is this the real world or is this a dream?” highlighting the unease and tension that fills the world of someone stricken with one of these terrible ailments. Not in such a way that it causes one to recoil and wish upon them a lifetime of confinement, but important steps to opening our hearts and minds to making a good faith effort to better understand and empathize with each other and the unique struggles we each may have.

Technically speaking, I felt like everything was exceptionally well balanced and that the twists that filled the third act were well earned and impactful. A term I’ve used with other films, this one keeps you in a state of productive discomfort. The edge of your seat feeling leads to the points of the story being that much more impactful by the time the credits roll. A very emotional tale and definitely a thinker of a movie. A great deal of nuance and interwoven clues that collectively form a beautifully complex piece of cinema. Extremely well done.