Seth_Rogue_One
Some scenes are really well-crafted (the extreme slow motion scenes in particular are gorgeous) so there is definitely some talent behind the camera.But, and that's a big but, the pace is at a snails speed at times and you really get the itchy trigger finger for the fast-forward remote button a lot.I think had it been edited down to 90 minutes it could have been a fairly effective movie over all but as it is you really need to have a lot of patience with it, it's 2 hours long but it feels even longer.And the second hour of the movie doesn't quite come together as well as I'm sure they intended, which is a shame because it does have a pretty cool plot which reminded me a bit of French horrors more so than American.So yeah overall a strong 4 or a weak 5 from me.
Steve Pulaski
At first thought, Proxy isn't a horror film because it doesn't concern elements we commonly associate with horror, such as serial killers, demons, and supernatural occurrences. However, it contains the horror elements some of us tragically face as human beings, such as rape, miscarriage, distrust, betrayal, and loneliness in such a way that makes for an experience thriving on fear and uncertainty. I love when films, independent or mainstream, go off on tangents and completely catch me off guard with their intelligence and craft.We are first greeted with Esther Woodhouse (Alexia Rasmussen), a pregnant woman who, judging by the looks of her stomach, is very close to her due date, emerging from a clinic to only be savagely attacked by a random mugger. She suffers a miscarriage and is left physically deformed, and, due to obtaining the sperm from a sperm bank, has almost nobody to help her through her tragedy. On an off- the-cuff decision, Esther visits a support group for grieving parents, where she meets Melanie Michaels (Alexa Havins), who claims her husband and son were killed. Esther becomes close with Melanie, much to the dismay of Esther's jealous lover Anika Barön (Kristina Klebe).This is all of the plot I'm willing to give away, for Proxy is one of those films where the line between basic plot summation and spoiler territory is so incredibly thin that another few words added to a sentence could spoil more of the movie experience. It doesn't matter, though, for I'm in the business of opinion and not synopsis. From the moment it kicks off, Proxy is potent and terrifying as a horror film, always engaging the viewer with elements of mystery and character insincerity and keeping them immersed by moving quite frequently and scarcely letting up. In addition, the performances, specifically Rasmussen and Havins, convey a detached and disconnected sense of reality that is almost necessary in a film where the audience is unsure of who is honest, as well as the characters themselves. On top of that, there is a serious feeling of contempt and loathe that looms over the viewer with every scene, making this a deeper and more investing horror film than I initially imagined. The way the film plays with your emotions by taking numerous social tragedies and lumping together, not for shock, but for the sake of narrative potency and the near-personification of fear is just delightful. Director and co- writer Zack Parker (working alongside writing partner Kevin Donner) take their time to allow slowburn tension to develop, as Proxy occupies a liberally-used two hours, sometimes focusing on conversation, character interest, or events, depending on the current mood of the writers. At two hours, there is ample amount of time to spend on all these aspects, assuring we never get a thoughtful film that races by too quickly to even be analyzed.Proxy's only issue is that not every performer can make the transition from disconnected to fiery and fuming with anger, most notably Joe Swanberg, one of my favorite directors, who has played low-key for so long perhaps his attempt at sudden rage just feels off-kilter for that reason. There is an understandable mixed reaction to Proxy for more than just its performances, but above all, like many films released under the IFC Midnight label, it's a nasty but thoroughly commendable piece of work illustrating fine- tuned components in a genre that so desperately needs not only some subversiveness but some age-old ideas done correctly rather than haphazardly.Starring: Alexia Rasmussen, Alexa Havins, Kristina Klebe, and Joe Swanberg. Directed by: Zack Parker.
baphorock
Proxy was an intelligent, entertained and dark story about secrets and what do we hide under our skin, it doesn't matter if you're the murderer or the victim.Makes you think, put yourself in the other's shoes. i didn't rated it as a 10, just cause i think the history should be more clear at the end, some people will implied the plot of the movie just by reading the title..others will end up with nothing if they don't know from where that word comes from and it will be a very confusing movie. any way, i loved how it looks, the rhythm was OK,u can feel was the characters are feeling.I would recommend it for people who like psychological thriller.