Review of M.F.A. (2017) by Wayne K — 20 Feb 2018

Part social commentary, part rape revenge movie, M.F.A. manages to balance its key components well enough to deliver an experience which is both involving and intriguing. The issue of rapes and sexual assaults on College Campuses is a hotly debated topic, and you often only here from one side of the argument, but this film actually tries to come at it from both sides.

On the one hand it's a glorification of vigilante justice, frequently extolling the pleasures of harming those who harmed others. But on the other it's a critique of lethal retribution, regardless of how good it might feel or how right it may seem, and how it will always be futile in the end.

It does a good job of not painting all men as crazed rapists-to-be and gives the female characters a range of reactions and attitudes towards all the illegal acts being committed. Francesca Eastwood, who so closely resembles her father I was expecting her to whisper 'Punk' at some point, makes an excellent impression in the lead role, exuding bravery and a particular savage menace.

It's unfortunately more likely to inspire debates over its content rather than its quality, where some will hail it as a clear demonstration of on-campus rape culture, while others will deride it for preaching to the choir and offering no counterpoint, but for me it's simply a well-crafted movie with a solid cast and a plot full of important contemporary issues.