The Middle Man – A Decently-Intriguing Character Study (Early Review)

Quentin Tarantino described storytelling as something that unfolds. These kinds of films have often been more appealing personally as commercial films are predictable but even they have an unfolding element. Presentation matters while frankly, indie films focus more on every possible element because of more creative freedom they have and how they experiment with story. Something like that would usually be a bit difficult when it comes to regular theatrical films. When it comes to Bent Hamer’s The Middle Man, this film is no different.

Based on the novel Sluk by Lars Saabye Christensen, The Middle Man follows a man named Frank Farelli (Hagen) who is hired as a middle man in a small town named Karmack. His job is delivering bad news. The character presents an intriguing point of view as death can take a toll on individuals but having to tackle it on a regular basis can also take a toll on one’s psychology. However, Frank already feels like a character who is essentially dead on the inside. From the very start of the film, he looks and feels socially awkward. That feeling remains consistent throughout though when it comes to his new secretary, Brenda (Novotny), there is just something different about that relationship as he appears to feel more comfortable around her.

In terms of the performances, the cast of The Middle Man does an excellent job across the board in maintaining a steady theme throughout. Paul Gross, who plays the Sheriff, was easily a standout thanks to his distinct presence. Every time he speaks, he is clear about what he wants to convey and how he wants to be perceived. Meanwhile, Bill Lake and Sheila McCarthy also make good additions to the film as Mr. and Mrs. Stout. Though Hagen does a very good job at portraying Frank, Novotny’s Brenda is amazing. She brings a new philosophy to the film which was very beautiful to behold.

On a technical level, the cinematography is a slow burn, adding to the film’s deadbeat tone. Ultimately, the insightful and well-written dialog was the best part. There isn’t a dull moment and despite its short length of 95 minutes, it remains thrilling throughout. Though the film’s climax was interesting, it was not quite unsettling despite the enjoyable way in which the film establishes why Frank acts the way he does. In some ways, this completes his story. The direction is appropriate for the tone of the film as the decision to keep the film to its short running time was probably sensible given the scale of the story. In the end, if thought through better, this story could have gone in some weirdly amazing directions.

At the end of the day, while The Middle Man is a good film, it is hard to call it an exceptional one even if it offers audiences the intriguing perspective of a character who delivers terrible news and what that can entail. Overall, the film is just an interesting character study that does more than enough to get by.

still courtesy of levelFilm

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Guest Writer