Review of Tony (2010) by Jamil K — 07 Apr 2015

TONY is yet another film in a genre that has been done many times before and, in my opinion, doesn't really offer anything new. The central character, Tony, is a socially awkward loner who is obsessed with action films.

He also has a weird physical appearance. Those traits are essentially what make his character, and he's really the only character in the film. Everyone else just exists in his world. What I did like about the film were the few moments in which Peter Ferdinando, who gives an excellent performance, hints at something deeper in Tony's psyche.

One scene in front of a mirror was particularly chilling, in much the same way as similar scenes in NIGHTCRAWLER and FOXCATCHER. I also liked the haunting, minimalistic score which adequately conveyed Tony's loneliness, and reminded me somewhat of Philip Glass (whose music I love).

Beyond that, it seemed like a typical serial killer film done on a low budget. The cinematography, while digital, was still done well and the camerawork was pretty good too. My major issue with the film is how thinly written it is, such that its 72 minute running time almost feels too long.

I guess I just wanted a little more substance. It probably would have worked better as a short film now that I think about it. For what it's worth, the film isn't bad it's just not particularly great either.

Peter Ferdinando's creepy performance is probably the best reason for seeing this.