Review of Blue Caprice (2013) by Nathan M — 18 Jan 2014

I did not see the appeal of this film. I was very interested in learning more of the story behind the Beltway Snipers, but it seems like Alexandre Moors was more interested in trying to make a moody and atmospheric thriller. Unfortunately, Moors doesn't succeed here either. The film moves at a snail's pace, and not in a way that feels deliberate, rather it feels completely unfocused.

Washington gives a solid performance as a man struggling with strange delusions, anger issues, and resentment towards his ex-wife. However, his "son" played by Tequan Richmond was completely uninteresting. I couldn't have cared less about his character, and, on a side note, why didn't he have a Jamaican accent? Luckily, Tim Blake Nelson was in this film to give the most interesting performance in the movie. I loved what he was doing as this aggressively machismo guy, who is not a bad guy, but contributes to the formation of the snipers.

I did appreciate how Moors chose to delve into the psyche of these two men. Unfortunately, he didn't do it in a way that was as effective as I think he wanted to. But I do think the film feels contradictory in its message. The first half of the film seems to be suggesting that John's divorce and loss of custody is contributing to his downfall, and then the end of the film is heavyhanded in showing that the killings were random and meaningless. So, which is it: a result of John's life situation or random and meaningless?

I didn't hate the film, but I couldn't get on board with what Moors was trying to do. I've seen plenty of good reviews praising the film's camerawork, atmosphere, and performances, but this film just wasn't for me.