10 Cloverfield Lane

JJ Abrams knows how to put together a film. With a team including Oscar nominated writer/director Damien Chazelle (Whiplash), and Oscar nominated writer Drew Goddard (The Martian), he has taken a $5 million budget and delivered the first truly must-see film of 2016 which will likely become one of the most profitable as well.

John Goodman delivers the performance of a lifetime as Howard, a doomsday survivalist who has prepared for the worst and created an underground shelter. Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.) find themselves sharing his space under different circumstances, and what transpires is both clever and original. Abrams is a master of secrecy, as is evident in his ability to keep “Lost”, “Cloverfield”, “Super 8”, and even “Star Wars” storylines under wraps until their release. “10 Cloverfield Lane” is no exception. The ambiguous previews throw out enough red herrings that a potential viewer is almost compelled to see what the buzz is about. Is Goodman crazy? Is it all a dream? Did the North Koreans nuke the world? Is it monsters or aliens? The range of uncertainty builds expertly to a slow boil until the climax, which is both unexpected, and I have to admit, a bit disappointing.

Let me explain. It is almost impossible to satisfy a cinematic appetite when there is so much anticipation, and that is why the journey gets an A, and the destination gets a C+. Because, simply put, there can’t be a satisfying conclusion any direction you choose. It’s no fault of the team behind the film, it’s actually a credit to their craftsmanship. It’s the first movie since last year’s “The Visit” that evokes the excitement and feeling that you just have to know what’s going on, and you can’t wait to find out.

Using classic and low budget suspense techniques, mostly using mysterious sounds and the pervading sense of the unknown, “10 Cloverfield Lane” is a trip down memory lane. The memory of a fun, popcorn-munching movie theatre experience where you are on the edge of your seat and almost can’t handle the discomfort of not knowing what is in store for the next hour and forty minutes. That is the hallmark of exceptional storytelling, and that is what is achieved here. The cast is just eleven people in all, and three of them are simply voices, including Bradley Cooper.

John Goodman has long been a favorite of mine. Ever since his days in “Roseanne” and “Revenge of the Nerds”, he has been the consummate journeyman actor. I could list off his stellar roles through the years, but we simply don’t have the time or space for that. Essentially, this is what I would consider his finest performance to date. He has lost considerable weight since filming this role, but the obese, heavy-breathing hulk of a man is intimidating and endearing all at once. It’s a confusing spectrum of emotions that he commands, and it makes me even more eager to see him in the role of the Judge in an Alejandro Inarritu directed version of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian. Never going to happen, but seeing how Philip Seymour Hoffman has left us, that would be movie nirvana for me.

The writers (Josh Campbell, Matthew Stuecken) and director (Dan Trachtenberg) are relatively new to the headlining game. Mostly they are experienced behind the scenes crewmembers (editing and lighting), but are certainly part of the Abrams/Chazelle/Goddard band of friends. This will be a great stepping stone to bigger and better things for the trio of them without a doubt.

The film is going to do well through critical reviews and word of mouth, and it is deserved. It gives an audience what is so often sorely missing; originality and good old-fashioned acting. I can’t say I loved the ending, but I relish the feeling I get when I am completely absorbed into a film while it is unraveling. Bravo to Abrams and his creative team for making a fun film. 8/10.