Nobody Can Cool 2013 - REVIEW

Most of us like to think that there are only two categories for films... you either like them or you don't. In my experience, few films fall into that gray area. You wanna like it but there's just something missing. Or you don't like it but there's that one little spark in an otherwise dreary film.

Susan (Catherine Annette) and David (David Atlas) are a bickering young couple off on a weekend getaway to a remote cabin to no doubt strengthen their dwindling relationship. Upon arrival they discover that the cabin is already occupied by a seemingly odd couple, Len (Nick Principe) and Gigi (Nikki Bohm). After an awkward introduction, the two couples reluctantly decide to share the cabin for the night. Tensions ramp up when Susan hears is awakened by the sound of a car starting. Thinking their car is being stolen, she jolts out of bed only to find they've been locked in. As the true nature of their captors become evident, Susan and David are left to fight for their lives. Who will make it out alive?

The acting in this is about what you'd expect from a mostly green cast. The performances often come off as a bit wooden with the exception of one... Nick Principe. What is clearly a breakthrough role for him, Principe did a stellar job of bringing Len's creepy, cool and often charming personality through. He is by far the stand out in Nobody Can Cool and it's about time that his talents are highlighted in such a way. Haris Mahic, who shows up towards the end of the film as Mo, surprised me as well. I had the feeling that I'd seen in something before but after going over his IMDb, I'm not so sure anymore. In any case, for the little bit of screen time he got, he did rather well.

Ultimately, the first production from directing team known as DPYX (Marcy Boyle and Rachel Holzman) is one of those films that falls in the gray area for me. It has it's good points, camera direction, lighting and atmosphere. They're successful in their use of location and small cast, creating a setting where the tension is bound to boil over. At the same time, that setting doesn't seem to be nurtured enough to actually reach that boiling point. The duo drop their characters in this dangerously volatile situation without giving them the common sense to make even one good decision. There's little in the way of character development which makes it hard for viewers to root for anyone. In the end, Nobody Can Cool is worth a watch. Don't go into it expecting anything horrific and gory as there is little in the way of it.