Sep 12

Sep 12 TIFF 2021 film review: 'Violet'

*Image courtesy of Toronto International Film Festival.*

The psychological thriller 'Violet' (screening during the 46th Toronto International Film Festival) speaks directly to anyone who has ever felt like a failure of a child, friend or employee, trapped by their fear-based decisions and searching for their true self.

In short: LA movie executive Violet (Olivia Munn) navigates the male-dominated film industry - while she has her own aspirations and dreams, a demeaning inner voice bullies her into conforming to the expectations of others (or at least, what she believes others expect of her).

'Violet' is a film without an obvious trajectory - yet it's instantly compelling because the film immediately pits Violet against her oppressor: her inner self-doubt and anxiety. Her innermost thoughts, splashed on-screen in stylized cursive text, betrays how Violet moves and acts in the world around her. Violet's outward actions are measured and self-conscious, but her inner monologue is splashed across the screen for the audience to read - it's written with a desperation, as if she's screaming on the inside. While some version of this film could have been composed without the on-screen text, this deliberate choice to let Violet telegraph what her heart truly yearns for in any given moment makes a direct connection with the audience.

The fact that the voice inside her head - the voice that constantly makes her feel small and insignificant - is a resonant male voice (performed by Justin Theroux) speaks to misogyny is so deeply ingrained in social interactions that men don't even have to tell Violet to smile - she's so conditioned that her inner voice tells her to smile. Certainly any viewer can identify with self doubt as a general concept, but Violet's inner voice reflects society's expectations of women: not to be "bossy" and to be accommodating. The disembodied voice taunts Violet, ceaselessly questioning every decision Violet makes in her life, diminishing her in every way - creating a grim personification of her insecurities.

Olivia Munn's casual, self-belittling delivery of "I don't want to make a big deal" is tragic because her voice is so small in that moment, yet it's clear her words contradict what she really wants. Her belittling inner voice is a warped amalgamation of all the external voices in her life that cut Violent down, making her feel less than or guilty for her choices. And this voice has a commanding grip on Violet's choices - not merely the decisions that will guide her life, but all the incremental and easy-to-miss moments of acquiescing and giving up her own voice.

Although there's a threadbare narrative direction tying all the scenes together, 'Violet' is a string of vignettes firmly rooted in the conflict between her heart and her head. The drama of the overall film comes from these individual choices - when Violet either gives in to her insecurities or decides to ignore the lies her inner voice tells her. Its heartbreaking to watch society's expectations compromise her genuine aspirations - but it makes her eventual self-liberation all the most awesome.

Final verdict: Without resorting to melodrama or contrived plot turns, writer-director Justine Bateman's feature-length directorial debut is a gripping emotional rollercoaster.