The poor execution of this mystery thriller overshadows what could have worked

The film, directed by David Guglielmo from a script by Kathy Charles, really wants us to get in the mood for what’s to come. But I don’t think there’s anything that fully prepared me. love bomb
goes beyond expectations by centering a trio of characters who have one thing in common – the Love Bomb dating app, which is unlike any dating app out there. Imperfect performances and a thin premise negatively affect the film. Guglielmo and Charles certainly try to do something different with their story, but it’s the execution that needs a lot of work.

love bomb it’s threatening. It starts with Josh (Josh Caras) returning home to his girlfriend, Anna (Jessie Andrews), who has prepared a nice meal but is irritated that Josh is late. She accuses him of treason; he denies it; they have sex. But there’s a camera attached to the wall and someone is watching. The next morning, Josh is in for a rude awakening when Tom (Zane Holtz), Anna’s husband, walks in and locks Josh in the house. From those first moments, the clarity of what’s happening is non-existent, but I admit I was curious enough to keep watching.

Love Bomb’s message falls flat

This is largely due to the film’s execution

It’s the film’s mastery of its mystery that ultimately keeps it from being cohesive. A little less than the midpoint, love bomb I started to lose my attention. The characters are all sketchy – something that the poor and unbalanced performances don’t elevate – and the dialogue is too exaggerated to be taken seriously. Although Anna, Josh, and Tom each seem a certain way at first, flashbacks reveal their backstories and their involvement in Love Bomb, a dating app that values ​​roleplay above all else. The film turns into a thriller, but something is missing.

One of the things that struck me first love bomb it’s the music and the editing. There is an attempt by the first to be mysterious, but after a while, it starts to irritate because it anticipates what we should feel next. The editing tries to create intrigue and suspense, and occasionally succeeds, but I couldn’t help but feel like I was watching an overstretched student short film, even though it’s only an hour and 15 minutes long. I wanted to like it, but there’s not much to recommend other than an interesting concept.

I’ve been thinking about the overall message of the film. It’s confusing and confusing, but there’s something deep down that could have been discovered if it had taken the time to do so. There have been many discussions about dating apps and their features, but love bomb it barely scratches the surface of its meaning in the context of its users. Each character has their reasons for using the app, but the film is more concerned with style than substance. In the end, everything seemed meaningless and empty.

The film is not much of a thriller

The deadly consequences do not arrive

I probably should have felt shock – or something other than indifference – but the execution just didn’t cut it. The pacing felt difficult after the first 20 minutes, but perhaps one of the most frustrating elements was the unnecessary monologues, explaining things to us instead of showing them. It’s quite painful to hear. The film is a thriller whose elements are practically added to make things more exciting. It’s like the filmmakers didn’t trust us enough to get involved, so they had to make things deadly.

Holtz was the most dynamic of the trio, and his character’s backstory had some genuine weight, but when it came to the three characters, there was a lot of talk and talk that rang hollow. Considering the low-budget production, love bomb would have benefited from more engaging and energetic exchanges between them.

All said, love bomb he had the roles to make a decent film, but he didn’t rise to the occasion. It’s not a well-made film, although it has some moments that suggest it could have been better than it is. That potential is ultimately lost, as the film’s oppression and ambitions to make a twisted thriller destroy everything that could have been salvaged.

love bomb is now showing in theaters. The film is 85 minutes long and has not been rated.