After his daughter Anna (Kimberly M. Buxton) commits suicide, a corrupt Korean official (Allan Choi) kidnaps three people who he thinks might have the answers as to why: his daughter’s psychologist Natalie (Lauren Ash-Morgan), ex-boyfriend Kyle (Daniel Kennedy) and classmate Chopan Park (Quinn Knox). With the trio held captive in a warehouse, the father works through the truth of his daughter’s final days.
Raoul Dyssell and William Sonbuchner’s Amiss sets up as a gritty thriller, a mystery that could turn dark and violent at any second. In reality, the film plays out more like a traditional drama, with the overbearing father playing more of a pivotal role in his daughter’s death than he may remotely expect. It’s a unique tonal experience, and the film maintains the momentum of its mystery as it plays out through flashbacks.
Which means it is an extremely engaging experience. Even as I began to guess certain elements, the film still had a trick or two up its sleeve, and kept my attention throughout. It’s not uncommon, no matter how practiced, for the mind to wander slightly when doing anything, but I found myself thoroughly engrossed by this film.
Technically, the film is more than up to the task in every category. Visually appealing, tightly edited, no hiccups with the sound mix… as solid an effort as one could hope for. The performances are solid as well, though sometimes a little overwrought. Overall, though, I found little issue with the film.
I do think it is possible to fall out of the experience if you’re expecting the level of suspenseful energy that the film fosters in its open to sustain; that tone is a gateway to a different feel for the majority of the film, and not everyone will enjoy the gear shift. It worked for me, however.
Ultimately, Amiss delivers a more than capable mystery with a few surprises. A captivating watch, and worth a look.
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