This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.
Drama is as drama does; Failure!, despite a promising premise, gives way to a second-rate sense of drama, overplaying every beat and never really satisfying at any point. The one-shot basis of the film is certainly compelling, though the execution is a stark issue. The handheld nature of the camera work is often distracting; there are a few examples of well-placed blocking and movements but, for the most part, the camera never settling for even a moment works against the film.
On top of the constant kineticism, the film’s creative tank seems to run dry rather quickly on the visual front, too. Again, the no-cut concept is certainly a neat one, and the effort is admirable, but the whole thing falls well short of the intended impact. For a film dripping in crime-drama feel, it’s a shame that it hardly ever tries to dig deeper, simply opting to rely on its over-advertised selling point to carry it completely.
One of the major factors keeping this film from completely sinking is Ted Raimi in the lead, who’s ever-present look of thinly veiled distaste and holier-than-thou delivery make for a memorable turn. Especially when considering the rest of the performances, which range from tolerable to downright unbearable (seriously, it gets unreal), he’s a reliable source of quality and intrigue the whole way through.
He properly sells the narrative too, one that is interesting enough to support his performance and feel entirely reasonable. The plot, despite insistently throwing a wrench into the wheel at every turn, is relatively simple. It follows a longtime businessman truly failing for what may be the first time in his life, and looks to answer what that means for him, his family, and everyone else involved, from underling employees to top-notch investors.
The respectable dramatic conventions move it along, trudging through the mundane to hit the necessary beats. Failure! at least deserves credit for delivering a coherent, realized story without cutting away from the happenings even once. It’s a feat, to be sure.
Though the feat is dampened by the contingency on which it is recognized. This story, and really this film as a whole, are really only notable because they manage to accomplish decency in the face of a daunting concept. Without the one-shot barrier, this is a run of the mill, pointlessly stage play-like drama with uninteresting characters and one notable performance.
Perhaps it would’ve been done differently had it not been a continuous shot, but it’s hard to cut the film any slack in that regard because it’s simply unknowable. What you see is what you get, and it’s painfully underwhelming.
The film’s ending only exaggerates this issue, stripping any narrative intrigue that survived to that point and focusing all its energy on one big shot to carry the moment. The visual is admittedly well executed, but the sheer randomness of the finale in tandem with the already lackluster build-up leaves a bad taste on the tongue.
Failure! hints at a higher level, with some clever details occasionally surfacing and making it clear that this isn’t a cash-in, not by any means. A contained, Ted Raimi-led drama that draws on a conflict between dangerous ties and familial cries is incredibly compelling; there’s something here, beneath all the miscalculations and misunderstandings. But in the end, it’s a misled charge into waters too tough to tame.
The film ends up floating about helplessly, shouting its every idea and inclination in the hopes that anyone at all will listen. In some sense, it deserves your attention, but to swim out and try and save it would be a lost cause. Appreciate it for what it’s trying to be and accept it for what it is.
Director Alex Kahaum definitely deserves another look and, of course, Ted Raimi is always going to be a welcome addition no matter where he is. As far as Failure! goes, though, neither of them do enough to warrant an earnest watch. If you’re particularly interested in the film’s main idea, it may prove an interesting study in that aspect. Otherwise, you’d be better off steering clear of this dour drama, especially in a month packed with many promising new releases.
Failure! had its World Premiere in the Discovery section of FrightFest 2023.
Director: Alex Kahuam
Writer: Alex Kahuam
Rated: NR
Runtime: 87m
Director Alex Kahaum definitely deserves another look and, of course, Ted Raimi is always going to be a welcome addition no matter where he is. As far as Failure! goes, though, neither of them do enough to warrant an earnest watch.
Movies, long drives, and mint chocolate chip ice cream.
