THE WEEKEND AWAY (2022)
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| Critic No. 270 |
Director: Kim Farrant
Written by: Kim Farrant, Sarah Alderson (novel - The Weekend Away)
Produced by: 42
Casts: Leighton Meester, Christina Wolfe, Ziad Bakri, Luke Norris, Amar Bukvić, Iva Mihalić
Music: Daniel Wohl
Language: English
Genre: Crime / Drama / Mystery
SYNOPSIS:
When her best friend, Kate (Christina Wolfe) vanishes during a girls trip to Croatia, Beth (Leighton Meester) races to figure out what happened. However, each clue yields another unsettling deception.
REVIEW:
From what I have observed, most recent B-grade thrillers do have a good premise but often provide too little plot to even consider a watch. Therefore, to be honest, it’s almost refreshing to see something like The Weekend Away, which has much more narrative complications to keep us engrossed.
Beth (Leighton Meester) travels to a coastal town in Croatia to spend the weekend with her best friend from university, Kate (Christina Wolfe). Beth has a baby at home and a loveless marriage with husband Rob (Luke Norris). Kate wants to show her a good time, and she's also reeling from a bad break-up. The two go out for a night on the town and when Beth wakes up the next day after a hangover, Kate is missing. Sensing something bad has happened, she enlists the help of a kind taxi driver (Ziad Bakri) to search for clues. When local police officers Paviz (Amar Bukvic) and Kovak (Iva Mihalic) get involved, everyone seems to become a suspect.
The film has the right premise for a juicy thriller and what makes it a good watch is the pacing of the twists and turns that are packed in acts 2 and 3. Meester as Beth has always had an incredibly likable screen presence and the movie wisely sticks to her point of view throughout, anchoring the audience's investment in her. Her powerful performance keeps us engaged with the story even if the film dwells into convenience in the second half.
Our heroine’s distress is exacerbated further once she realizes the authorities regard her as a suspect in her friend’s murder. Other threats in the film ranging from the club-pickup gigolos (Marko Braic, Lujo Kuncevic) to the rental flat’s creepy landlord (Adrian Pezdirc) fizzle out quickly as they emerge to provide temporary excitement.
Even those investigating cops and Kate’s own husband start looking pretty shady, as fragmentary memories of the fateful evening return to her. That said, the other pivotal supporting character, Zain, has an air of mystery to him as the foreigner and taking out the character would probably make the movie fall flat. Zain and Beth’s chemistry adds a nice layer in the film which gets a sweet closure as well. However, the friendship between Beth and Kate which serves as the life wire of the film, unfortunately feels under developed.
The main problem of the film despite the racy screenplay is the lack of time or nuance to lend numerous narrative turnabouts plausibility. Every detail is touched at surface level and the way the police crack the case feels too convenient and rushed at the end. Thankfully, the film makes a satisfying redemption with the ending twist which keeps the film memorable to a certain extent.
The way it tackles the psychological trauma that can be caused by betrayal through the protagonist’s perception is commendable as she is shown as someone who trusts everyone easily. It makes us reflect one how a 'mid-life' crisis and the decisions we take in impulse can have a catastrophic effect sometimes. However, after a series of betrayal, Beth feels like she is still on ground zero at the end and we only might feel that she is better off on her own with her baby.
Though ‘The Weekend Away’ is not a revolutionary thriller that will shock you, it is fast-moving enough to provide a decent entertainment for viewers whose expectations aren’t geared any higher.
VERDICT:
Despite missing the logic tightening and sharpness needed for an investigative thriller, ‘The Weekend Away’ excels with its strong cast ensemble, catchy premise and racy pace that ensures an exciting watch.
CELLULOID METER- 3.25/5:
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