Part of what makes film festivals so magical and enticing is the potential to stumble across new fresh talent and voices. As a perfect example, one must look no further than writer/director John Rosman and his feature film debut, NEW LIFE. Recently making its world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival, NEW LIFE is a heartbreakingly powerful, genre-bending thriller that proves Rosman is an undeniable talent to watch.
From the very beginning, NEW LIFE grabs your attention. Dropping audiences into what is clearly the middle of something, Jessica (Hayley Erin) is observed entering her home bloody and distraught. Armed men are shown pursuing her as she quickly cleans up and gathers a few things (including an engagement ring found in her partner’s drawer). Making a quiet escape, Jessica evades capture by sneaking into the back of a stranger’s pickup truck.
Meanwhile, Elsa Gray (Sonya Walger) gets called in to help track Jessica down, although the reason why remains a bit murky for a while. A fixer, Elsa has made a career out of making problems of various sorts disappear. Recently diagnosed with ALS, Gray struggles to process and accept what this means for her and uses this job as a distraction. While pursuing Jessica, Elsa quickly discovers that there are some things you simply can’t outrun and that the two women have far more in common than either could have ever predicted.
As the story unfolds, it is revealed that Jessica and her partner were avid campers. After encountering a stray dog and returning home, Jessica’s partner got violently ill. While en route to the hospital, both are forcibly redirected to some mysterious facility. Understandably panicked, Jessica broke out, witnessed her brutally dying partner and ended up killing a guard in the process. Thinking this murder is why she is being so vigorously pursued, Jessica makes a beeline for the Canadian border. To avoid some pretty amazing spoilers, this is where main plot coverage will cease.
Two of the most prominent and easily recognizable assets that NEW LIFE has going for it are the incredible cinematography by Mark Evans and the gorgeous score by Mondo Boys. Textured, layered and evocative, the score effectively builds intrigue and emotional investment in equal measure. On Jessica’s quest North, Evans utilizes ample wide shots to highlight the Pacific Northwest scenery and Jessica’s place within it. NEW LIFE is saturated with stunning locations and takes full advantage of its role in the story. Suddenly stripped of her entire life as she knew it, Jessica is literally and figuratively isolated, confused, and alone. It’s a devastating situation that Evans literally frames with tender, loving care.
The performances from Walger and Erin further strengthen everything Rosman and team are doing. As Elsa, Walger exudes a natural badass-ness and strength that makes the journey with her ALS diagnosis touching and captivating. As Jessica, Erin balances intelligence, capability and strength with confusion, panic, and her yearning for human interaction. Both women offer such intensely nuanced performances that artfully demonstrate the duality of their personalities and situations. Both on paper and on-screen, neither ever have to sacrifice strength for vulnerability. In fact, the ability to contain both makes Elsa and Jessica such extremely absorbing characters.
It’s good that Walger and Erin are so skilled, as NEW LIFE certainly takes its time revealing its secrets. Now, for this viewer, that is not a criticism. Rosman’s script is methodical and purposeful about where and when information is revealed. While it takes a while to get some firm answers, the restraint builds tension in a powerfully potent way. On top of that, the careful distribution of info adds layers of context and meaning to everything that comes before it. As the picture of Jessica’s situation becomes more focused, the ramifications of everything that preceded it carry new and ominous weight.
By the end, NEW LIFE brings everything together in a heartbreaking yet satisfying way. It’s a film that refreshingly trusts its audience to make connections and place the final pieces of the puzzle themselves. Even with heavy thriller tones, terrifying horror moments, fantastic practical effects and all-to-familiar sci-fi elements, the interconnectivity between Elsa and Jessica stands boldly front and center. NEW LIFE is a gift hand delivered by Rosman. And no surprise, there’s even a line in the film that cuts right to the heart of the matter, inevitably lingering long after the credits roll — “Misery is powerful, but so is acceptance.” Not bad for a feature film debut. Not bad at all. Aren’t film festivals just the best?
Tags: Canada, Fantasia, Fantasia 2023, Fantasia Film Festival 2023, Hayley Erin, Horror, John Rosman, Mark Evans, Mondo Boys, Sonya Walger, Thriller
No Comments