Faults

source: Faults

Slow, long and completely empty. The acting was great though!

Hired to deprogram a young woman who has fallen victim to an abusive cult, an expert in mind control techniques starts to question whether or not there is actually some value to her cult in this curious independent film. From the outset, the movie seems like a contemporary updating of the likes of 'Split Image' and 'Ticket to Heaven' -- two sensational films from the early 1980s about rescuing youths from religious cults -- but the results here are decidedly different as the film ends up as anything but a straight drama. There are elements of comedy, drama, mystery, thriller, horror and even fantasy throughout, and while all this genre-hopping is sometimes detrimental (none of the comedy really works and the scenes with the protagonist's publisher and his hired goon do not quite fit in) for the most part, the multi-genre style renders the film a perfectly unsettling experience. As a viewer, we never feel entirely in control, placed on the exact same level as the protagonist with all his doubts and insecurities. Speaking of which, Leland Orser is excellent in the role. While he initially seems money-grubbing and pathetic, he gradually becomes a sympathetic lonely soul for whom the world seems to have turned against. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (best known as McClane's daughter in the 'Die Hard' series) is also superb as the young cultist. As for the rest of the film, it is best viewed with minimal plot expectations. Suffice it to say though, the ending is endlessly creepy and for a film that is not overtly horror, the chill that 'Faults' sends down the spine is incredible.

Taking a look at IMDbs Film Festival board,I spotted a plan for an IMDb fest based around a series of titles.With not having heard about the film before,I decided to take a look at the page for Faults,which I discovered featured Final Destination 3 scream queen Mary Elizabeth Winstead,which led to me getting ready to discover who is at fault. The plot: Getting in debt by self-publishing his advice book on how to pull troubled minds out of "cults", Ansel becomes increasingly uninterested in the people who attend his book tour.Lashing out at an audience member after they blame him for the death of a teenage girl who appeared on his now-cancelled TV show,Ansel tells the crowd to pay him some cash so that he can sign their books and then leave. Walking on tiptoes up to him, Evelyn and Paul ask Ansel if he can help them to get back their "baby girl" Claire,who has gone and joined a cult.Initially dismissive of their requests,Ansel finds the couples willingness to cover his costs to be a real charm bracelet.Suspecting from the details they give that Claire is at the deep end with the cult,Roth tells Evelyn and Paul that the only option left for them is to kidnap Claire and take her to a remote location,where she can be de-programmed. Receiving the thumbs up from the parents,Ansel goes and kidnaps Claire. Placing Claire in a secure isolated location,Ansel begins the intense de-programing program,but soon begins to fear that Claire may not be the one who is getting de-programmed. View on the film: Filmed in just 18 days,writer/director Riley Stearns shows no faults in his excellent debut,which mixes jet-black Comedy with nerve- shredding indie chills. Largely taking place in one hotel room, Stearns & cinematographer Michael Ragen precisely use depth of field to subtly reveal the change in power from Ansel to Claire (and her family.)Allowing Ansel to step out into the sun, Stearns covers him in a scorching hot sun,which pops the heated tension that Ansel is under. For the dark satirical shots,the screenplay by Stearns takes a ruthless view at the self-help/psychobabble culture,as Ansel's crisp white shirt and user-friendly guides hide the deep bleaches behind a fading grin.Keeping away from just making this a satirical title,Stearns displays an expert eye in delivering psychological unease,thanks to the decision to stick everyone in one location allowing for the seeds of doubt in Ansel to be exposed,whilst Claire's shimmering confidence slowly casts a looming shadow across the screen. Stuck in a burnt at the edges suit, Leland Orser gives a superb performance as Ansel,thanks to Orser giving every sarcastic put-down a rich bitterness,whilst also allowing a feeling of Ansel crumbling under pressure to seep in.Joined by a great Lance Reddick, Mary Elizabeth Winstead gives an extraordinary performance as Claire.Avoiding any Scream Queen antics,Winstead hits Claire with an icy matter of fact delivery,thanks to Claire burning away her sweet charms to reveal a smart,calculating menace hidden from view. Final view on the film: A film with no "Faults" at all.

Claire (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is under the grip of a mysterious new cult called Faults. Desperate to be reunited with their daughter, Claire's parents recruit one of the world's foremost experts on mind control, Ansel Roth (Leland Orser). Writer-director Riley Stearns cited Paul Thomas Anderson's works, namely "Punch-Drunk Love", the Coen Brothers' "Fargo", Yorgos Lanthimos' "Dogtooth" and "Alps" among the many works he was inspired by. To prepare themselves for the role, Winstead and Orser read the book "Let Our Children Go" by Ted Patrick and watched YouTube videos from that era of people in cults or people who had just gotten out of cults. They had both also created their own backstories for their characters based on Stearns' script. Jon Gries has a smaller role, but it is always nice to see his smiling face. I wanted this film to be a bit better than it was. The first half was very good. In fact, the opening scene was the best part. You can never go wrong with Mary Elizabeth Winstead, but there could have been a little something more here.

The film has a message and it will pull the rug out from under you in order to achieve it. From a story and plot standpoint, this is absolutely awful. There are contrivances and contradictions at every possible turn and it just gets worse on subsequent viewings. What matters in this film is its message, clearly. The only problem I see with that is I'm not sure what the message is. It's something about free will, certainly, but I really can't ascertain anything beyond that single vague notion. If you feel like a story that doesn't make sense isn't a problem for you, then you will certainly enjoy the film more than I did. Personally, it feels like a nothing of a film. The joke is that there is no joke, and I just don't find that terribly funny.

I'll always remember Leland Orser for his nervous role as a surviving victim of Se7en's John Doe. I've probably seen him in bit parts since without realizing it's him, but Faults reveals his talent as he steps up to the task of a leading role. He's perfect as the cheap crook and Riley Stearns matches the darkly comic nature of his character with an ideal introduction. Stearns idiosyncratic style borrows from the best of modern cinema - the Coen brothers, Paul Thomas Anderson and Wes Anderson - but it pays off for a surreal, slightly stilted, but hilarious tone. Its premise of cult manipulation is immediately compelling, and it frames its story in a way that's offered skimmed over when it's portrayed on film and never committed to a full 90 minutes. Faults is a very confident debut, but it's a shame that the film wilts in its second half. It trades humour for a psychological thriller, and while it digs deeper into the characters, it loses its way by breaking its world. If only it didn't stumble in this final stretch, the twists in the ending could have had more impact. Still worth the watch. 7/10

Was this film way over my head? I find removing paint from old walls to be more pleasurable. It was a long, sad, crappy, hard film to watch.

the movie started out real great. seemed to be an exiting film about saving a girl from a cult, the complex mind game it takes to deprogram someone. but that was not how it turned out. (SPOILER PART) Instead it turns out to be some sort of cult plot, to get him in to the cult? i really couldn't say, it seems kind of vague, when it comes to the motives of the group. so instead of being this poor confused girl, she turns out to be a psychological master mind, easily making his victim throw away any form of sensible reasoning. the story seemed to be all over the place, and as you near the end, you realize that they tie it together in the worst possible form they could. the week ending ruins the film.

Amazing little indie that came off as a black comedy and then drifts into darkness, while pulling you along. The acting's smart, the pacing's crisp, the jokes register darkly, and the dialogue snaps. After researching this movie and not finding an appropriate answer, one scene that really stands out is: Once Ansel is watching his TV interview, one can barely see schemes of "Dad" having sex with Claire, while "Mom" is watching. One has to very closely watch. This brings us to the question if they were Claire's parents at all, or rather, fellow cultists. Cult members who, under her guidance, pretended to be her parents so she could brainwash Ansel. At the end "Mom" tells Claire that "With his knowledge your teachings will grow beyond anything we ever could have imagined." This seems to suggest that having a notable expert on their side will give them more power, legitimacy, outreach. It's winning over an enemy. Amazing ending, want to know more.