Director Kevin Van Stevenson’s Disolution, written by star Dip Patel, begins with a man receiving very bad news: he has acute leukemia. The man, Rajan (Dip Patel), is devastated, and things are only made worse by the fact that he has no family or many friends to lean on during this hard time. By happenstance, Rajan runs into his former college sweetheart, Sophie (Marie Tiberi). Their interaction is awkward but cordial. She’s married now, though her husband, Trend (Ja’Mir Fletcher), is becoming more agitated and short-tempered with her.
One night, after Sophie comes home late from visiting Rajan, Trend completely loses it. Feeling like she’s no longer safe and that he’s no longer the person she married, Sophie runs into Rajan’s arms. Upon learning of his cancer, Sophie convinces Rajan to see an old shaman lady to cure him. He agrees, but the price for the mystical miracle is dark. Is the price worth the cure?
“Upon learning of his cancer, Sophie convinces Rajan to see an old shaman lady to cure him. He agrees, but the price for the mystical miracle is dark.”
Disolution is grounded by Patel’s nuanced, understated performance. He is a riveting lead, selling the drama and romance wonderfully. Every line comes across as authentic and sincere, and there isn’t a misstep in his acting for the entire 84-minute runtime. Tiberi is not quite as good, though. She shares decent chemistry with Patel and is really good at all the lovey-dovey stuff. Unfortunately, the actor isn’t as good at conveying the fear Sophie is meant to feel toward Trend. While she makes the most of the more sinister elements, there’s not much of it as that angle rears up only in the last 15 or so minutes.
Viewers coming in expecting a full-on horror film will be disappointed. Van Stevenson has created a more intense romantic drama than a scary flick. While that may turn out those looking for a terrifying outing (the poster isn’t helping on that front), any audience that sticks around will be treated to a solid drama. The story makes sense and moves at a good pace. The romance is believable and sweet. The degradation of Sophie’s marriage feels natural. Even the shamanistic scenes work within the dramatic framework. The filmmaker directs with a firm grasp of the drama and a sympathy for Rajan’s plight. Heck, even though the horror only starts in the last third, it enters naturally and makes perfect sense.
Disolution is a great drama, good romance, and decent horror flick. Van Stevenson understands the story’s main takeaway and directs with an emphasis on that message. Patel is fantastic as the lead, and his screenplay always comes across as realistic and authentic. Overall, this is an engaging indie picture that will satisfy fans of drama and romance.
For more information about Disolution, visit the Cinema Epoch site.
"…grounded by Patel's nuanced, understated performance."
