TIFF 2021: Dashcam Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

The age of COVID has forced filmmakers to be creative when it comes to their latest projects with varying degrees of success. Resulting budgetary and/or practical restraints have prompted some creativity with narratives that can either help or hurt. The found footage format seemingly makes the most sense for this time period therefore Dashcam, Rob Savage’s follow up to last year’s surprise hit Host, takes a crack at telling a horror film in the time of COVID. Though it certainly had its tense moments, the film arguably gets a little too caught up in the format and its absolutely grating caricature of a lead character each detract from whatever little the film may do right. Therefore the film’s ultimate success will likely depend on the ability of audiences to get behind either. That being said, with a running time clocking in at under 80 minutes, at least the film doesn’t run out its welcome but it will definitely feel longer than that at times.

Dashcam follows a woman named Annie (Hardy), a musician who had gained herself a decent following after developing a caricaturish online right-wing persona (or maybe it’s her in real life?). Getting bored of pandemic life in Los Angeles and all the rules, she packed up and brought her shtick to London, England where she reunited with one of her former bandmates named Stretch (Chadha-Patel). Having grown up in leaps and strides since their time together, the situation for Annie was nowhere near what she expected. Nevertheless, she did not let any of that dissuade her and continued her annoying shtick across the pond, much to the chagrin of Stretch and his girlfriend Jemma (Jemma Moore). Little did she know, her reckless behavior would get her in trouble after coming across an old woman named Angela (Enahoro) who was more than she appeared.

Suffice it to say that things soon became increasingly bonkers from there and it was then where Dashcam was at its best. What followed was absolute chaos that won’t be for the feint of heart despite not always being easy to follow as the shaky cam can’t always keep up with the action. Though it had its moments, the consistency was never quite there and don’t expect any answers to anything either. Meanwhile, the performances were still solid across the board. Hardy’s energy and presence are undeniable but Annie and her constant screaming were absolutely insufferable to watch which did not help her case. Chadha-Patel as Stretch was okay while trying and failing to reign in Hardy and Enahoro was terrifying as Angela.

At the end of the day, Dashcam is destined to be a polarizing film that will mean different things to different viewers but in spite of its issues, it does more than enough.

 still courtesy of TIFF

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.