The Green Room(2015) | Horror Goes Punk.

 

"Pat: I know what it is.

Amber: What what is?

Pat: My 'desert-island band.'

Amber: Tell somebody who gives a shit."

Green Room is a horror film written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier. It was produced by Broad Green Pictures, and Film Science, and was distributed by A24. It is available on Netflix. It stars the acting talents of Anton Yelchin (Pat), Imogen Poots (Amber), Macon Blair (Gabe), and Patrick Stewart (Darcy Banker). For a full list of cast and crew. 

If I had to give the elevator pitch of this movie it would be Punk Band vs. Skinheads. While the premise sounds incredible exploitative the execution is performed brilliantly and is in my opinion one of Saulnier's best works. While Saulniers style eschews the grindhouse label his subtle use of violence will appease the picky gorehound while still not being to squick for the more suspense driven horror goer. 

But enough navel gazing what's the movie about?

The first ten minutes of the movie introduces us to the very underground punk band, the Aren't Rights, and a crash course in the world of punk. It is clear from the dialogue to the fashion that Saulnier spent a lot of time not only trying to understanding Skinhead culture but how it fits into the wider scope of punk rock. Long story short the band see something they shouldn't which begins a desperate dash for survival as they fight against a much more equipped and dangerous group of skinheads who are prepared to make it look like an accident. GR is often compared to Saulnier's previous film Blue Ruin(2013)* due to similar themes in the films. Blue Ruin is a slow burn thriller where a drifter, (played by the ubiquitous Macron Blair), seeks revenge for the death of his parents. In both of these films Saulnier takes his characters and throws them into high action sequences that reaffirm the inadequacies of the protagonists. It is the exact opposite of a power fantasy. Saulnier's characters are thrown out of their element and forced to struggle tooth and nail to survive. Green Room is a violent bloody fight acting as a crucible for the characters turning them from scared and incompetent slasher victims to Saulnier's own vision of the action hero. 

On another note GR's plot is complex with a multitude of characters and moving parts. For me this makes rewatching the film rewarding as I see pieces that I've missed, character motivations that have become apparent, and blink-and-you-miss-it moments that I had y'know blinked at. That being said if you are the type of person that enjoys simple straightforward narratives you will have a hard time with this movie. Gr does not hold your hand when it comes to its plot. It will tell you the broad strokes, key you in on the big details but it expects you to piece together the whole picture with what is showing you. 

In a similar vein, GR is not a drama it is a thriller. It makes no pretense to give its cast of characters detailed backstories or lifes. It simply allows the characters to live in the moment and do what comes naturally to them which turns out to be a lot of stabbing. Green Room's characters are not fleshed out in an explicit way but at least for me they felt "real". The characters are defined by their actions, the way they handle difficult situation, and whether or not there willing to kill and even through many of the characters had the backstory of a 90s slasher film I felt more for them when they died then I have for any cookie cutter co-ed who's been fileted up by the cutting edge of the week. GR's characters are grounded and realistic and it's this level of realism that allows you to truly care for them.

 I also wanted to take this time to commend the acting talents of Yelchin, Poots, and Blaire. All three are horror veterans and I am excited to see more of their work in the future. I also would like to give praise to Patrick Stewart for his role of Darcy. I am always wary of big names in horror, as sometimes the prospect of stardom occasional breaks the immersion of a film where a well-known A-list celebrity is paired with usually more unknown acting talents. My fears are of course completely unwarranted. Stewart is as always a consummate actor providing his unique sense of gravitas to the role, Cold and Sinister. 

 Cinematography was done by Sean Porter (Kumiko: The Treasure Hunter(2014)). From the start I was impressed by the clever editing and framing of Porter. His camerawork provides a crisp explanation of the subject allowing the viewer to follow the complexity of the plot and the action. Saulnier wanted to shy away from the "Gratuitous Closeups" that permeate the genre and Porter delivers with subtle effective violence. On the other side of the production team the scoring was done by the Blaire Brothers. While the soundtrack was fairly minimal, (namely just a fantastic cover of the Dead Kennedys "Nazi Punks Fuck Off"), the Blair Bros had some fantastic ambient scoring that helped sell the film. 

The Green Room is an absolute stunner of a movie, with understated gore, an intense complex plot, and a fantastic cast. GR culminates on Saulniers unique brand differentiating itself from the more campy action-oriented films of the genre. The Green Room is smart horror and an absolute must see. 

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* Green Room is specifically called a "Follow-up" of Blue Ruin which if i'm being completely honest  I have no fucking idea what that means. If you do. Do me a favor and comment below.