MOVIE
What: What If It Works?
Written & directed by
Romi Trower, produced by Tristan Miall
Released in Melbourne on Oct
12, 2017 at Lido, Classic & Belgrave Cameo cinemas
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars:**
Adrian (Luke Ford) is
suspended from his post-doctoral research in quantum physics when his
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder finally impairs his capacity to function.
He encounters Grace (Anna
Sampson), a shy artist who has multiple personalities, one of which is G, a
provocative vamp and an artist, another being Spike, a crass and abusive
loudmouth.
Adrian is a germophobe who
cannot abide being touched, wears gloves 24/7 and scrubs everything several
times a day. However, he adores driving fast and lives in a chaotic but well-scrubbed garage
owned by his father.
This movie suffers from a
lack of nuance and complexity in its characters, relationships, narrative and
comedy. Adrian, Grace (and her
other selves) and the people who surround them are caricatures instead of
layered characters. The psychology is
simplistic, with Adrian being a two-dimensional representation of an OCD
sufferer and Grace’s multiple personalities being broadly comical.
The flimsy and contrived narrative,
silly comedy and over-written dialogue are only occasionally interrupted by a
couple of more sincere interactions between Adrian and Grace when they perch on
their park bench.
Trower vainly inserts
colourful drag queens and Melbourne laneways decorated with vivid graffiti to
elevate the quirkiness but it is all to no avail when the story is so sketchy.
By Kate Herbert
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