Review of Midnight Special (2016) by Andrew M — 29 Jul 2016

There's a brief scene in Midnight Special in which Alton (Jaeden Lieberher) plays with a Lego set during one of the slower moments of the film. The scene has no real significance to the plot, and isn't a particularly impactful scene overall. But, for some reason, such an insignificant scene mirrors the film so well. Writer/director Jeff Nichols' story immediately catapults us into the dark, literally and figuratively so, with only a handful of pieces to connect by ourselves. There's no heavy handed expository dialogues between characters: it's much more organic, with only brief mentions or quick information dumps from a television program or radio to guide us.

The film does a great job of creating relationships in this way. We don't need to know the whole backstory of Roy Tomlin (Michael Shannon) or a detailed history of his ties to Alton to really connect with him and his relationship with Alton. While Nichols' screenplay obviously handles its characters with such subtlety, much of this is thanks to frequent Jeff Nichols collaborator Michael Shannon: Shannon conveys so much emotion with so little outward physicality. It's all in his eyes, his smiles, just his presence overall. Paired with the surprising amount of talent young Jaeden Lieberher brings to the table, it's a stunning showcase for Shannon's capabilities.

It's the kind of relationship Spielberg would ultimately trademark as one of his signature plot devices: the relationship between father and son (in this vein, perhaps Roy is a throwback to Close Encounters of the Third Kind?). There's other characters here, like the helpful state trooper Lucas (Joel Edgerton) and Roy's estranged wife Sarah (Kirsten Dunst), but it's Roy and Alton who drive this story forward. The two take turns being the higher up in this relationship. Roy constantly guides Alton to stay hidden and scolds him when he disobeys, but as we learn more about Alton and the mystery hidden behind his goggle-wearing eyes, the relationship is flipped. Alton soon guides Roy, as well as Lucas and Sarah, and it's Roy that learns so much from someone so young.

Also Spielbergian are Nichols' stylistic choices. It's a modern day story, but the cinematography (mostly beautiful evening and nighttime shots) and subtle production design evoke an 80s vibe that feels so similar to an E.T. or a Close Encounters of the Third Kind. David Wingo's original score mixes soft piano melodies with appropriately 80s synth sounds that manage to enhance emotional scenes without being distracting. It already feels timeless, the kind of film that will be looked back upon for years to come.

All puns aside, Midnight Special is truly special. In a time when such wonder and sublime storytelling is lost under million dollar visual effects and spoon-feeding screenplays, Jeff Nichols delivers a masterful piece of film that completely solidifies himself as one of the finest directors working today. Go into it in the dark (again, literally and figuratively): you won't regret this trip.