Waves (2019) - An Intense Rollercoaster | Intricate Films

The camera barely stops for the first hour of waves. Part of it feels like a trance and the rest seems like a bad drug trip. The first hour is relentless in its adamant refusal to give us breathing space. The camera turns, swirls, rotates and moves in every conceivable direction. Not even dialogue heavy moments are given a pause. Motion keeps our eyes peeled, our brains hooked. The colours are hypnotic, red and blue flash constantly. The air chokes us as we see  young man's happy life spiral into something dark. I was genuinely scared at a certain point around the midway. Everything is cranked up to 11.

The relentless pacing of the first hour is juxtaposed to the contemplative, yet nonetheless incredible second. Waves is truly an incredible film. It's mastery lies in creating a protagonist who we can relate to and be completely invested in. We see Tyler's earnest love and wit turn into anger,confusion and hatred. Waves is a movie that hurts its characters a lot more than it heals them. We watch a family crumble in the aftermath of a traumatic event. Revealing any more would do the film a great injustice. Sequences leading to that even are simply fantastic. It's the perfect kind of game changer. Shocking when viewed first yet appears obvious upon rewatching. It's music slowly crawls its way into your head, the lights seem almost invasive. The camera's incessant movement guides us along a character's path that he is no longer in control of. It's motion ranges from simple and controlled to complex and erratic. We see the loss of control. When we see Tyler fall, its incredible yet completely understandable. His team screams "I cannot be taken down, I am a new machine" before his wrestling matches. He takes it to his heart. Tyler wants complete and utter control of his life.When things spin out of control, his mask slips. Words of anger and hatred pour out of him; the seemingly perfect son, perfect boyfriend. The cracks become visible. As does the rest of his family's.

Tyler's father Ronald is caught in the middle, trying to hold the family together. Shouldering that responsibility weighs heavily upon him. In many scenes, he appears angry, lost, alone. His huge frame seems hollow. Every character's suffering is portrayed beautifully. They don't cry silently, they let out wails of anguish. They seem to whimper like a wounded animal. Tyler's sister Emily has a tender role. She tries to carry all the pain with a smile. The scenes where she breaks are the best in the film. After some long lines of dialogue, each one violently lashing out at another. There is a small pause. Just a tiny one. We catch our breath, along with the characters. We are grateful.

The camera finds a perfect balance between the human and the abstract. The  overwhelming emotions in the third act never feel forced and overbearing. It feels earned, rewarding, We feel as if a huge burden is lifted from our shoulders. After so much of hate and pain, we are happy to see a smile. Waves is a beautiful film.

The only qualm I had with it is the conclusion, or its lack regarding Tyler. His arc has a very open end. His arc never results into anything for him, though it changes a lot for the others. Waves is timely, masterful and emotionally resonant, a film for the ages.

                                                           - Arvind Narayanan

Intricate Meter - 9/10

Important characters and their casts :

* Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Tyler Williams, a high

school senior.

* Taylor Russel as Emily Williams, Tyler's younger sister.

* Sterling K. Brown as Ronald Williams, Tyler and Emily's father.

* Lucas Hedges as Luke, one of Tyler's teammates and Emily's love interest.

* Renée Elise Goldsberry as Catherine Williams, Tyler and Emily's stepmother.

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                                                           - Abhyjith and Arvind