Break a Leg expects audiences to suspend too much disbelief, but still retains an engaging, if unbelievable story thanks to the two leads’ chemistry.
Break a Leg, playing at Popcorn Frights Film Festival, feels like a would-be Scare Me that switches the setting from a cabin with a man and a woman, both writers, to an empty theater with a man and a woman, both actors. Despite some confusing aspects to both characters, it manages to keep viewers hooked, wondering where the threat resides. It sometimes gets too close visually, seemingly for no reason other than to be cringe-close, but is charming in its weird similarity to another film for another creative field. Break a Leg expects audiences to suspend too much disbelief, but still retains an engaging, if unbelievable story thanks to the two leads’ chemistry.
Kaitlyn Boyé (The Furies, Home and Away) co-writes, directs, and acts in the film alongside fellow co-writer Brendan Kelly (The Furies, Hello Au Revoir). Brendan plays an awkward, oftentimes creepy actor heading into an audition for a play named Patrick Flynn. When he arrives, there is only one person present, Kaitlyn’s Molly McGrath. As they wait, they talk, argue, and move around in an almost awkward dance of who can be the most uncomfortably obnoxious. Adding to that tension is the fact that they find themselves locked inside the theater, unable to leave. While some events raise questions, overall Break a Leg is fascinating for its back-and-forth conflict between the leads.
Break a Leg Has an Eye for Discomfort
Directing leans into how awkwardly uncomfortable Patrick is, and how he gives the “ick” with his intrusive presence. Also, kudos to the camera switch from full to widescreen. It adds a layer of horror comedy, which is where this film sits. Even though there are some visual decisions, like close-ups of mouths that feel random and gross, it still plays into the inescapable bungling quality that Patrick in particular possesses. Thanks to the directorial choices, viewers feel the distress and suspicions when he sits too close to Molly. In the mirror of reflection, many of us can recall that same anxiety when a strange man sat too close to us. Break a Leg taps into that emotion with an unrelenting grip.
The Pair Make the Film
What sells the story is the question mark hovering over both people the entire film. Kaitlyn’s Molly plays into the uncertainty of whether she’s a mere jaded, disgraced child star with a barbed wit or someone more sinister. Kaitlyn Boyé plays the character with a balance that ensures there’s always room for doubt. While it appears that she bullies Patrick at times, it could just be to keep him at a distance.
Paired with Molly, Patrick looks like a discount version of American Psycho‘s Bateman. Yes, drinking milk like that does him no favors. Brendan Kelly plays Patrick like a walking red flag. From his desperation, unwanted physical proximity, that milk, and constantly following Molly, distrust is at 100. Although he looks down on Molly’s fall from grace, he never rises enough to experience a fall, and that resentment is, at times, palpable. Patrick’s constant plaintive cries of “Molly” are so annoying that, even if he’s not the threat, his presence feels entitled-guy dangerous.
More Words Than Action But Still Worthwhile
Between the pair, Break a Leg keeps you morbidly engaged, wondering who’s a threat, who locked who in, and where the film intends to go. It leaves you quizzical, but still entertained. In such an enclosed setting with only two characters, it’s challenging to maintain the audience’s attention. However, it’s a challenge that the movie meets with ease. Break a Leg is more psychological than anything, tapping into unspoken memories of awkward encounters that felt dangerous.
