katrinaolson.ca - Lost Solace (CUFF 2017)

Posted on Monday, April 17, 2017 at 01:00 PM

Lost Solace (CUFF 2017)

Review by Katrina Olson-Mottahed x CalgaryMovies.com

A KO Review by Emily Mody

Lost Solace is a feature length thriller directed by Chris Scheuerman. The film follows psychopathic playboy, Spence Cutler (played by Andrew Jenkins). After he completes one of his standard heists successfully he decides to celebrate by going out to a club where he meets a stranger. This stranger gives Spence a new type of ecstasy known as radiant pink dove. Unbeknownst to Spence this drug has a permanent effect on his concept of morality.

I absolutely loved Lost Solace, from start to finish. I thought the premise was intriguing, the characters were dynamic, and the story provided an intensity and drama that kept me completely invested. I really enjoyed all of the actors in Lost Solace. All of the actors portrayed their characters extremely well and all of the relationships were very believable and interesting to watch. The way that Spence’s story was conveyed was done in a somewhat unconventional way. I loved how his story was handled, in particular, how specific paint colours were utilized to convey ever-evolving aspects of his character.

I also really enjoyed the character, Azaria (played by Melissa Roxburgh). She mainly functioned as the antithesis of Spence’s character and was utilized to demonstrate his moments of softness and morality. Their relationship became something very real for Spence and conveyed his caring for another human being presumably for the first time in his life. I loved Azaria’s character because she was able to give this beautiful softness to the story that was otherwise quite dark and ruthless. She gave a beautiful balance to Spence’s character that was very much needed.

Lost Solace was so well crafted. I will look toward the future for more films from Scheuerman. I am sincerely excited for what his future projects will bring to the Canadian cinema landscape. I would recommend Lost Solace to anyone who is looking for an unconventional thriller/drama film that will not disappoint.

I would compare Lost Solace to the film Vanilla Sky directed by Cameron Crowe. I feel that both films share an unconventional quality that set them apart from regular Hollywood cinema. Both films also have a protagonist whose seemingly perfect life is upended by something that changes their worldview entirely. There is also an aspect of altered reality in both films that make them a dynamic viewing experience. If you enjoyed Vanilla Sky and would like to see another film with similar ideas and themes then I would highly recommend Lost Solace. It is also important to note, however, that Lost Solace is much more of a thriller and is quite a bit scarier than Vanilla Sky.

Lost Solace runs a total of 106 minutes. If you are a sensitive viewer it is important to note that Lost Solace is rated 18+ for violence, sexual content, nudity, language, and drug use. Lost Solace will be premiering in Alberta as a part of the 14th Calgary Underground Film Festival 2017 (CUFF). It will be playing on Thursday, April 20th, 2017 at 9:30 PM at the Globe Cinema. Again, you can’t go wrong with Lost Solace. Go and see it. You won’t regret it.

Calgary Showtimes: Lost Solace >