An American Crime

A spoiler light review of An American Crime should begin with tone, because Tommy O'Haver understands exactly how this horror film ought to feel. An American Crime gains early credibility from Elliot Page, whose presence is balanced by the different rhythm of Hayley McFarland. The foundation of An American Crime can be stated simply: The true story of suburban housewife Gertrude Baniszewski, who kept a teenage girl locked in the basement of her Indiana home during the 1960s. Within its 1h 38m running time, An American Crime reveals both the benefits and the limits of that disciplined approach.

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An American Crime benefits from Tommy O'Haver being dependable even when the material becomes familiar about what each sequence needs to accomplish. Instead of making every beat equally loud, Tommy O'Haver lets An American Crime create contrast between pressure and release. Familiar choices gain value from committed execution throughout An American Crime, with the strongest decisions feeling connected to character rather than display. It is still fair to say that An American Crime suffers because some developments arrive well before they surprise, but the problem remains contained.

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The central idea running through An American Crime concerns fear, isolation and the moment familiar spaces stop feeling safe. Elliot Page gives that idea a human scale, allowing An American Crime to remain accessible even when its world becomes larger. By returning to the central character, An American Crime turns theme into a source of pressure rather than a message waiting to be delivered. The handling by Tommy O'Haver lets An American Crime leave a little interpretive room, which gives its better scenes an afterlife.

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What keeps An American Crime emotionally readable is Elliot Page, whose choices establish a consistent point of view. In scenes with Hayley McFarland, An American Crime gains tension from two performers refusing to produce the same kind of energy. Nick Searcy contributes a separate rhythm to An American Crime and helps the supporting material feel less purely functional. The direction by Tommy O'Haver gives the cast of An American Crime room to connect the quieter beats with the larger ones.

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Visually, An American Crime is most persuasive when carefully rationed sound guides attention without becoming an attraction separate from the drama. First Look International supports An American Crime with carefully rationed sound, giving individual scenes a shared design logic. The United States production character of An American Crime is clearest in its use of uneasy framing to make place feel consequential. Even during its busiest moments, An American Crime benefits from an edit and sound mix that protect the immediate emotional line.

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An American Crime is most involving when the screenplay allows Gertrude Baniszewski to complicate what initially appears to be a story about Indiana. That shift gives Elliot Page a more specific problem to carry through An American Crime. Working from material credited to Tommy O'Haver, An American Crime reveals the central character at a measured pace instead of rushing toward its largest turn. The later pressure around an important relationship shows why An American Crime benefits whenever cause and consequence remain visibly connected.

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For horror viewers who prefer atmosphere to constant shocks, An American Crime is ultimately a satisfying recommendation with minor reservations. Its most persuasive combination in An American Crime brings Elliot Page together with uneasy framing under the direction of Tommy O'Haver. The fact that some developments arrive well before they surprise prevents An American Crime from being entirely seamless. Even with that reservation, An American Crime has a clear point of view and enough genuine feeling to justify the journey.