Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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Cam, as interesting as it is, leaves one thing out which may make or break the film for you.
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| Director(s) | Daniel Goldhaber | |
| Written By | Isa Mazzei, Isabelle Link-Levy, Daniel Goldhaber | |
| Date Released | 11/16/2018 | |
| Genre(s) | Mystery, Horror | |
| Good If You Like | Erotic Movies Which Provide Social Commentary | |
| Noted Cast | ||
| Alice/ Lola | Madeline Brewer | |
| Jordan | Devin Druid | |
| Arnold/ Tinker | Patch Darragh | |
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Summary (Ending on 2nd Page)
Alice, aka Lola, is a cam girl. One of the top 60 out of over 160,000. What does that mean exactly? Well, it means her having enough money to rent a house, pay for furniture that is almost $5,000 on a whim, and live rather lavishly. But, there are two issues: The first is that no one but her little brother Jordan knows, in her personal life, and then later comes another issue: She somehow gets duplicated.
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How and why? Well, that is both hard and easy to say. It’s a lucrative thing, so the “Why?” is an easy answer. As for how? Well, that is where things get complicated.
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- Anyone else thought Arnold (Tinker) did it?
Highlight
Madeline Brewer
There is always the need to wonder, when an actor is known for a supporting part, and they get to play the lead, will they hold it down? Which I don’t say to be mean but you know certain actors who when they are in a supporting role, and the weight of the production isn’t on them, they shine. Yet, for some, we won’t name names, when they take on things being all about them, they flounder. For Brewer, that isn’t the case.
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Despite how awkward some of the scenes surely had to be, be it being nude on camera, fake blood, and being a cam model, you don’t get that sense of awkwardness. You also don’t feel like this is but an opportunity for her to show she should have long had major starring roles. It is sort of like Viola Davis recently said on a Build Series interview, what you get with Brewer in Cam is the feeling she has done the work. She wasn’t waiting for the great role, that starring role, instead she kept working until she was noticed and then gave the same commitment she has given all of her previous roles.
Hence most of the positive bits of the “On The Fence” stuff below. For while you must note the writing and story that Isa Mazzei, Isabelle Link-Levy, and Daniel Goldhaber came up with, without the right actor, all it would be is a good script. To make a long exposition short, Cam could have easily just been another movie with a young actress being nude every other scene. Brewer pushes even the most superficial past that – at least to the point of, at least once, realizing there is more to this film than Alice’s identity being stolen.
On The Fence
It Has A Cool Build But Lacks Payoff
First and foremost, you have to enjoy the way this story is crafted. The life Alice lives holds a certain complexity to it which helps you understand why she lives the life she does. Take a look at her family, the place her mom lives, and while they are by no means destitute, they definitely aren’t rich. Also, take note of the pride her mom has in her for doing so well. This girl who we don’t hear complimented on anything but her body and money. If you wanted to complicate things, you could say this whole movie is a social commentary.
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Yet, that’s sort of the weird thing about this film. There are a lot of arguments that could be made from stealing women’s autonomy, how replaceable women feel, and a slew of other things. But, if that isn’t your cup of tea, and you are just looking at the mystery angle, you are kind of left hanging here.
We build up to discovering who and how Alice is being replicated and the answer could be simply she is replicated AI? Yet, so comes the next layer of asking if it was Arnold who replicated or someone else? He seemed like he just tracked who was an AI so he could take advantage of it. Not that he was the mastermind. So who is behind what Arnold makes out to be something which happens to cam girls beyond that one website?
We’re left not knowing.
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Overall: Mixed (Divisive) | Only on Netflix
While Brewer’s performance must be hailed, there is the issue of the mystery which is the initial hook not really leading to a noteworthy payoff. All we’re left with is the ability to make theories and the social commentary. Which some will surely appreciate but others may feel jipped by investing an hour and a half without a real resolution.
Hence the mixed label. While there is a lot to appreciate there are a handful of things to be upset at that could lessen how much you enjoy the movie. Even considering how interesting the story is and Brewer’s performance.
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