I meant to write about “Sanctuary,” now in theaters, but Cannes got in the way. The film was, along with “How to Blow Up A Pipeline,” one of the hottest sales at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. It stars Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott, both great, in a two-hander dark comedy that’s driven by stagey dialogue. The film's entire premise continually revolves around the power struggle between a dominatrix (Qualley) and her client (Abbott) when he tries to end their relationship. Micah Bloomberg's screenplay is set entirely inside a lush apartment, and every time either of the characters attempts to leave, and goes to wait for the elevator, the film predictably finds a reason to pull them back into the suite so the drama can continue. It’s a little too far-fetched. Filmmaker Zachary Wigon does try to go for something original here, but the freshness at the start quickly turns into one monotonous conversation after another. Repetition becomes this film’s downfall. [C]
Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number
Featured
Summary Block
The source material, for the uninitiated, is Arrowhead Game Studios' co-op shooter — muscle in power armor defending "Super Earth" from bugs and robots in a war game.