Jul 21, 2018
Welcome back to Streaming Saturday!
There’s not much happening on Netflix this weekend, so I decided to go back and work in a film I’ve been waiting to see for a while. Don’t worry, though, there will be plenty more Netflix Originals next Saturday. In the meantime, if there’s a Netflix Original you’ve seen or are looking forward to, head over to onemoviepunch.com and let us know!
And now...
Today’s movie is “Outside In”, directed by Lynn Shelton and written in collaboration with Jay Duplass. The film follows Chris (Jay Duplass), an ex-con who has returned to his hometown after serving twenty years in prison, released in large part to the advocacy of his high school teacher, Carol (Edie Falco). Struggling to adjust to living on the outside, Chris confesses his love for Carol, developed over their efforts to secure his release, just as Carol is reexamining her failing marriage and her purpose in life.
Spoilers ahead.
I love films that defy expectations, especially for situations and relationships that, on their face, seem unlikely. Of course, that unlikelihood is driven mostly by our own social programming, believing, for instance, that every ex-con is still somehow unfit for society, even when structural racism is blatantly apparent within our enforcement and judicial systems. Most states allow some form of legal discrimination against ex-cons, from denial of employment to loss of voting rights. It’s the fate of Chris attempting to reintegrate back into society, and the reason for the very activism and advocacy that Carol engages in.
Two expectations are being defied with this film. The assumptions and prejudices about ex-cons are the first, with Chris’ character having very little understanding of how much the world has changed over twenty years, and the dreams he has had for himself while trying to be released. The second set of expectations concern issues of fidelity, especially in long-term relationships lacking both emotional and sexual fulfillment, as in Carol’s situation. Clearly Chris is a good person and Carol has good reason to move on, but the beauty of this film is convincing the viewer that it really is the best situation. You can see the genuine love for Chris in Carol’s eyes, followed by the struggles against social expectations, and vice versa in Chris for Carol.
Lynn Shelton, as a whole, keeps a good pace, revealing as much about the incident that placed Chris in jail as needed, and showing a realistic progression in their relationship. I even enjoyed the complexity of Carol’s daughter Hildy (Kaitlyn Dever), who misreads her mother’s feelings and develops her own crush on Chris, and is clearly affected by her parents’ failing marriage as well, artistically expressed within a burnt-out house. Shelton uses some great filters to capture the Pacific Northwest, and the transitions utilize the scenery well. I was also a fan of the music, both the score and song selection.
“Outside In” (2018) is one of the more under-rated films to be released this year. Lynn Shelton and Jay Duplass developed a charming tale about an unlikely relationship, steeped in the prejudices and social mores of their situation, brought to life by Duplass and Falco. If you like independent dramas, then you should definitely check out this film, and let others know about it. It deserves to be seen.
Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Metacritic: 76
One Movie Punch: 8.6/10
“Outside In” (2018) is not rated and is currently streaming on Netflix.