A Brush of Violence (2023) – Review/ Summary
Intense in every which way the word can be used, “A Brush of Violence” hits hard, doesn’t overstay its welcome, and leaves you wondering what Daniel Lawrence Wilson may produce next.
Intense in every which way the word can be used, “A Brush of Violence” hits hard, doesn’t overstay its welcome, and leaves you wondering what Daniel Lawrence Wilson may produce next.
| Director(s) | Daniel Lawrence Wilson |
| Screenplay By | Daniel Lawrence Wilson |
| Date Released (YouTube ) | March 26, 2023 |
| Genre(s) | Drama |
| Duration | 40 Minutes |
| Content Rating | Not Rated |
| Noted Cast | |
| Akila | Mia Krystyna |
| Vio | Yavor Vesselinov |
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Film Summary
Akila is given the opportunity of a lifetime. They are getting to photograph the elusive Vio, who has not been seen publicly for at least ten years. However, alongside being elusive, Vio is quite eccentric, and while Akila originally seems to understand and find solace in a shared sense of being black sheep in society, Vio makes it clear he is beyond Akila’s perceptions.
Things To Note
Why Is “A Brush of Violence” Rated Not Rated
- Dialog: No notable amount of cursing, if any, exists
- Violence: Blood and notable graphic imagery
- Sexual Content: None
- Miscellaneous: Drinking and smoking
Collected Quote(s)
I never use my own gifts to make others’ dreams come true.
— Akila
Character Descriptions
Please Note: This character guide is not an exhaustive list of every cast member, and character descriptions may contain what can be considered spoilers.
Akila
Akila is an up-and-coming photographer who prefers using non-digital cameras in their work, which catches Vio’s eye.
Vio
Famous and controversial, Vio has become a recluse over the years, with such a low profile that while his work is well known, no one is sure who he is and what the looks like. However, he is ready to do a grand reveal for his latest exhibit focused on pushing people to see what they often disregard.
Review
Our Rating: Positive (Worth Seeing)
Highlights
The Score & How It Compliments The Performances
Experiencing this movie with headphones on is an experience. The score, on its own, is a force that feels like something you’d expect from an action movie or adventure film about to have its grand reveal of the enemy opposition’s leader. If not, present the kind of moment that makes the film iconic.
But, not to be outdone, the performances, specifically Akila and Vio, allow you to see everything almost like an opera without the two singing. Note no one is overdramatic in their performance. If anything, they are oddly subdued. Yet, they aren’t subdued in such a way that they seem lifeless but more restrained, almost to the point of seeming perhaps fearful of being misunderstood because of how intense both the icon Vio and the committed Akila can be.
Yet, when both realize they don’t need to maintain a power dynamic of Akila being oh-so-lucky and Vio being some masterful artist, you see a bit of vulnerability. Yes, Akila is forever in awe, but Vio lets his guard down for as much as Akila needs him for a potential big break, he needs her to execute what shall be one of his greatest works to date.
All of this concentrated, suppressed energy leaves you feeling heat on your skin and tense shoulders, for even with watching this on a computer screen, something about all that encompasses “A Brush of Violence” feels like an IMAX or Dolby experience.
It Doesn’t Overstay Its Welcome
“A Brush of Violence” doesn’t overstay its welcome. It introduces Akila, establishes them enough for you to know what they are passionate about, then gets straight to presenting us to Vio and allowing him to charm you as he does her. Then, before you know it, eye-blaring moments happen, and you are sent on your way, mouth slightly agape, wanting to watch again to get the details you didn’t previously since you can now be more intently aware of what is going on.
On The Fence
You May Feel Like You Learn So Little About The Characters
If you like quite a bit of character development, that isn’t here. Akila’s profession is the only thing you learn about them; the same goes for Vio. Even with Vio potentially having a love interest, nothing is confirmed there about that relationship. The only thing you learn about Vio and Akila is what drives their art. Everything else is treated as irrelevant, and what often is seen as the fat of any film is absent, for better or worse.
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