There are films that proclaim their messages loudly, spell out their themes with large bold letters, and compel the audience to think a certain way. Then there are films that gently pose provocative questions and leave much for interpretation. Aaron Harvey’s sorrowful, deeply affecting drama Come with Me happens to be an example of the latter kind of film, its realism and pertinent themes further buoyed by an outstanding lead performance.
Simon (Theo Rossi) leads a typical middle-class life. His girlfriend wants to settle down, buy a house, “marriage, kids.” He hasn’t “given it much thought, because [he’s] just watching TV” and doesn’t believe in bringing a child into this “fu**ed-up world.” He’s very much influenced by a controversial, deeply radical radio host, Dalton Kirby (Ron Perlman’s voice), who becomes a kind of guru to Simon. Dalton’s increasingly violent rhetoric eventually prompts Simon to learn how to fire a weapon, disrupt parties… and then a tragedy occurs. Well, two consecutive ones, to be exact, involving his friend Gary (Ronnie Gene Blevins). At this point, Simon starts to fall apart.
Harvey favors verisimilitude over artificial thrills. There’s a realism to the film that’s rather difficult to achieve — it’s in the interactions between actors, which don’t feel written or overly rehearsed; it’s in Ben Joyner’s deceptively low-key cinematography, accentuating subtleties and nuances, each frame complementing the plot; it’s James Curd’s unobtrusive score. The combination of factors adds up to an immersive experience full of memorable sequences, like Simon visiting his idol’s headquarters or confronting his boss.
Dalton Kirby (Ron Perlman) broadcasts from behind a radio microphone in Come with Me.
“…increasingly violent rhetoric eventually prompts Simon to learn how to fire a weapon…”
Masterfully avoiding leaning too far left or right, Harvey and his co-writer Jonathan Croon touch upon the impact of media on — and the susceptibility of — contemporary society (with a particular focus on men), the bureaucracy we all deal with on a daily basis, and meeting your idols. It’s one thing to spew rhetoric; a whole different one to act upon it. “Everything is so broken,” Simon says. “The system is broken. It’s designed to trap men in it.”
At its heart, Come with Me is a character study, and the lead more than lives up to the task. Theo Rossi’s performance sizzles quietly, unraveling gradually; a searing, revelatory turn from a veteran character actor. He effortlessly holds the screen without resorting to histrionic tactics. That said, Ronnie Gene Blevins marks another standout as the loyal friend and grieving father.
It sure seems like everyone was on the same wavelength while making this film; must’ve been a symbiotic process: the director eliciting such credible performances, the actors inspiring the director to stick to his guns and maintain the film’s authenticity, the rest of the crew complementing their vision. It’s a rare thing, indeed, to witness such a coherent, powerful, understated cinematic achievement. I, for one, will go with Harvey wherever he takes me next.
"…Rossi's performance sizzles quietly, unraveling gradually"
