Confession

As Dayna Hanson’s crime drama opens, we’re driving along a tree-lined road at night. There’s a light coating of snow snow on the ground and the absence of tracks speaks to the isolation, the loneliness of this place. It’s a fitting introduction to the sort of small northern town where, most of the time, nothing much happens, but when it does, it’s all too easy to get away with.

We will return to that road, and to the bridge it leads onto, at a later point. In the meantime, we cut away to a party, a large house full of drunken young people drinking and dancing and fooling around. Rich boy Randall (Sterling Beaumon), whose parents own the place, is making an idiot of himself in an attempt to command everyone’s attention, but the one who attracts the camera’s gaze is Alicia (Sarah Hay), with her vivid red hair and little black dress, waving her arms in the air and dancing as if he life depended on it.

The next day, police officers come for Randall. Alicia has accused him of rape. Initial discussions amongst the town authorities conclude that there’s not enough evidence for a prosecution, but earnest young district attorney Jillian (Clark Backo) isn’t willing to let it go. Upon hearing that other such claims have been made against Randall in the past, albeit without result, she decides that it merits further investigation. Senior detective Miller (Michael Ironside) cautions her to proceed with care. He can’t quite place it, but there’s something off about this case.

Hanson’s film has a fair bit in common with recent Chilean hit Blanquita (both were shot around the same time) but will have more appeal for those who prefer a conventional mystery to an arthouse film. In some regards it is a little too conventional – the plot twist which shocks Jillian at the end will be obvious to most viewers halfway through, and it’s hard to believe that real police officers would miss certain glaringly obvious connections – but there’s some good work in it, especially from Hays, who brings some of the same intensity which she revealed in last year’s Unidentified Objects. Ironside is also impressive, bringing humanity to a role which could easily have been mere formula stuff, though he’s a generous enough actor to restrain himself alongside significantly less experienced co-stars.

Snow can be tough to shoot in, especially on a small budget, but the wintery prospects work well here and suit a theme of emotional coldness and concealment. There’s a nice turn from Elliot Frances Flynn, whose remarkable gaze can command attention even in a still photograph. It’s a film clearly made with love, to the extent that it overplays its hand in places, especially during the closing scenes, but one hopes that the serious points which Hanson wanted to make will still get through. A final note underlines them, reminding viewers of just how easy it is for victims of sexual violence in the US to miss out on justice.