Review Largo Film Awards

THE PLOT IS AN ELLIPTICAL DAY-TO-DAY OF A “CALL CENTER” TYPE OF BUSINESS, ONE THAT ACTS AS A HOTLINE SERVICE FOR WOMEN WHO FEEL STALKED OR IN DANGER WHILE WALKING ALONE AT NIGHT. SIMULTANEOUSLY, ONE EMPLOYEE SPENDS HIS DOWNTIME IN A VIRTUAL REALITY SIMULATION.

THE FILM SPIRALS TOWARD ITS FEVERISH NIGHTCLUB CONCLUSION, IN WHICH THE PROTAGONIST’S INFATUATION WITH THE GIRL FROM THE SIMULATION BLEEDS INTO REALITY, WHERE THE MAN WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE ACTING AS A BARRIER FOR PREDATORS IN FACT BECOMES THE PREDATOR HIMSELF. INTERCUT WITH SCENES OF HIM AT WORK IN FINDING THE CLIENT’S LOCATION, THIS CONCLUSION SERVES AS A FINAL TESTAMENT TO THE FILM’S POWER. IT CONFRONTS THE ISSUE OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT/PREDATION IN A DISTANCED, ALMOST CLINICAL, WAY. DECENT ACTING, CINEMATOGRAPHY, AND AN ENGAGING ELECTRONIC SCORE ASIDE, IT IS ULTIMATELY THE DIRECTING THAT MAKES "THE REDHEAD" SUCCESSFUL IN WHAT IT SETS OUT TO DO.

MACMAHON’S FILM IS AN EFFECTIVE STUDY OF OBSESSIVE ATTRACTION DUE TO ITS TECHNICAL ARTISTRY, PRESENTING ITS STORY IN A WAY THAT AVOIDS CONVENTIONALITY FROM THE START.