Movie Review
Siddharth Martis
3.5 / 5
Strangely enough, I was thinking about, “Pokémon Go!” throughout the entirety of this film. I wonder what that says about the game.
Nerve is a film directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (Catfish) and is written by Jessica Sharzer. It stars Emma Roberts (We’re the Millers, Palo Alto), Dave Franco (Now You See Me, 21 Jump Street), and Emily Meade along with Machine Gun Kelly and Miles Heizer (Parenthood [TV]).
Nevertheless, this never became an issue for me as the film succeeded at really enthralling me up until the clichéd cop-out of the third act came into play, which might be my only major issue with the film. This is surprising considering the fact that Nerve quite literally strands its characters in increasingly strange settings and scenarios that never seem head anywhere anytime soon.
With that said, Nerve pulls off this trapeze act of sorts with ease thanks to its relentless pace, impressive style, and sense of youthful exuberance, all tied together by the film’s exceptionally talented directors, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, and it's charming and capable leads.
Though perhaps never quite as great as it could’ve been, if only given better material, the Nerve's script does manage to stumbles into some interesting ideas, like the voyeuristic nature of contemporary America and the value of a life. These intriguing ideas are further emphasized and explored by the film’s directors who reap the most benefits out of each idea and scenario. In a particular scene, involving a motorcycle sequence, directors Joost and Schulman taut camerawork and visual mastery to convert a tactless plot device into the highlight of the film that impressively stands out as one of the best scenes of the year.
Although the scene’s technical brilliance is what caught my eye, the film's exceptional leads, Emma Roberts and Dave Franco, truly sell the scene. Roberts and Franco’s chemistry can, at times, transcend the film’s perpetual artificiality as both actors labor as hard as they can, delivering some of their best work, while fitting into their respective roles perfectly.
Nerve is a film directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (Catfish) and is written by Jessica Sharzer. It stars Emma Roberts (We’re the Millers, Palo Alto), Dave Franco (Now You See Me, 21 Jump Street), and Emily Meade along with Machine Gun Kelly and Miles Heizer (Parenthood [TV]).
In an attempt to broaden her horizons, a high school senior wallflower joins a global online game of provocative truth or dare while an audience of "watchers" vote and comment. But as she becomes a sensation and advances higher and higher, the game evolves and soon she finds herself in a dangerous and life-ending situation.Successfully delivering the much-needed the adrenaline shot to the nearly lifeless summer of 2016, Nerve proved to be a highly entertaining self-contained thriller that stays refreshingly simple, while not skimping on the thrills. Though I do believe this is true, with a premise this idiotic and unrealistic, I don’t exactly think the film’s simplicity was much of a choice.
Nevertheless, this never became an issue for me as the film succeeded at really enthralling me up until the clichéd cop-out of the third act came into play, which might be my only major issue with the film. This is surprising considering the fact that Nerve quite literally strands its characters in increasingly strange settings and scenarios that never seem head anywhere anytime soon.
With that said, Nerve pulls off this trapeze act of sorts with ease thanks to its relentless pace, impressive style, and sense of youthful exuberance, all tied together by the film’s exceptionally talented directors, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, and it's charming and capable leads.
Though perhaps never quite as great as it could’ve been, if only given better material, the Nerve's script does manage to stumbles into some interesting ideas, like the voyeuristic nature of contemporary America and the value of a life. These intriguing ideas are further emphasized and explored by the film’s directors who reap the most benefits out of each idea and scenario. In a particular scene, involving a motorcycle sequence, directors Joost and Schulman taut camerawork and visual mastery to convert a tactless plot device into the highlight of the film that impressively stands out as one of the best scenes of the year.
Although the scene’s technical brilliance is what caught my eye, the film's exceptional leads, Emma Roberts and Dave Franco, truly sell the scene. Roberts and Franco’s chemistry can, at times, transcend the film’s perpetual artificiality as both actors labor as hard as they can, delivering some of their best work, while fitting into their respective roles perfectly.