MFFF MOVIE REVIEW: BREATHE (RESPIRE)



4/5

Life is not perfect for Charlie whose parents go though an intense on-off relationship, but she is a perfectly happy teenager who does well at school and loved by her classmates. When a beautiful transfer student Sarah arrives to school she becomes Charlie's best friends. But very soon Sarah gets tired of Charlie and starts to torment her. Charlie doesn't know how to fight back, but there's only that much she can take. There comes "the last straw" and nothing will ever be the same.

The movie is focused on intense relationship of two female leads, both of them are at their best. Josephine Japi as Charlie perfectly catches the transformation of her heroine from a quiet girl loved by everyone, to an outcast no one can understand or recognise.  Lou de Laage is uncanny as an evil tormentor Sarah, who protects her pain on others and only that way is able to survive.

Shot on a hand held camera, that adds authenticity to the scenes, BREATHE is a slow burning thriller. Demonstrating how quickly and irreversibly a familiar situation can go terribly wrong this movie will make every parent cringe in their seat.

BREATHE does not have much action, but it sucks you in with the performances and curiosity about the true motives of the heroines. It is emotionally draining, but also a rewarding experience. A really exciting piece of Arthouse cinema that is worth checking out.

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