Dec 13

Dec 13 Oren Uziel's SHIMMER LAKE

A movie review by Dennis D. McDonald

The movie starts as police in a small town where everybody grew up with and knows everybody wrestle with a bank robbery where it appears that the brother of the police chief was involved. The movie then evolves backwards day by day to reveal the crime and from there back more days to its planning.

The story-in-reverse trick has been used before as a gimmick and it comes across as a gimmick here. But the execution in the hands of director/writer Uziel and a very competent cast keeps the movie interesting along with its excellent photography and a clever and sometimes wryly funny script.

In a “reverse” film like this the editing is critical given the need to very selectively reveal as well as hide key details. The movie succeeds here as we have just enough information to follow along while not being spoiled with ham-handed or inappropriate revelations.

Recommended as a very pleasant and entertaining diversion.