Invisible is the first feature-length film from writer-director Matthew Michael Ross in 20 years and marks his third overall. The dramatic mystery follows CB (Zebedee Row), who hasn’t heard from his good friend David in a while. So the soft-spoken but single-minded man sets out to discover what happened to the up-and-coming musician and where he is, should David still be alive. He heads off to talk to mutual pal Chris (Johnny Cannizzaro) but accidentally interrupts a support meeting run by Heather (Rachel Alig). While annoyed at him, the two immediately feel a connection, and soon Heather is helping CB piece together David’s disappearance. The trail leads to dead ends, music producers, and David’s wife, Rebecca (Julia Smushkova), but yields no answers.
Let’s get this out of the way: it is easy to suss what happened to David. Yes, the mystery can be correctly guessed around the 30 or 40-minute mark. This leaves slightly under an hour for CB and the other characters to put it all together. As such, a few scenes feel a little dry. However, the ripple effects of the reveal are quite interesting, as is the big scene itself. Ross stages it in a very intimate yet grim way, allowing the emotions to take center stage. The acting in this sequence is also terrific, selling every feeling and flashback with verve.
Zebedee Row plays CB searching a van for clues in Invisible, directed by Matthew Michael Ross.
“…the soft-spoken but single-minded man sets out to discover what happened to the up-and-coming musician…”
Speaking of acting, the cast is superb throughout the 109-minute runtime. Row is intense but kind in all the right ways. Alig has come a long way since starring in The Asylum-produced sex comedies and nails drama in a big way. Her character is the heart and soul of the picture, and the actor makes every second she’s on screen memorable. Cannizzaro sells the guilt Chris feels admirably, while Smushkova is disgusting and alluring at the same time.
But what really makes Invisible an easy recommendation is the big themes at play. Addiction, love, self-acceptance, and actually being seen by those in one’s orbit (see the title) are all given their proper due. No scene feels rushed, and each thematic point serves a purpose both in the overarching narrative and the characters’ personal journeys. And that is a good thing, as all the characters, even the smaller parts such as Chris and Rebecca, have a lot going for them and come across as fully realized people.
Invisible is an engaging mystery, even if it is easy to solve. However, it is in the dramatic lives of the characters embroiled in David’s disappearance that the film truly shines. Ross creatively uses camera blocking, lighting, and his cast to create a believable world populated by three-dimensional folks. See it for the drama, love it for the cast.
For more information about Invisible, visit the official AON Films site.
"…truly shines."
