Look Away

Look Away is a gripping psychological thriller, quietly released in 2018, starring India Eisley, Jason Isaacs, and Mira Sorvino. The film was both written and directed by Assaf Bernstein and features a riveting exploration of identity, appearance, and the darkness within us all.

The very heart of the film revolves around the life of its protagonist, Maria Brennan, played seamlessly by India Eisley. Maria is portrayed as a high school student who is struggling with her identity and seems disconnected from reality in her regular life. Even though she is not an outcast in the usual sense, Maria can't quite fit in with her peers. Her life is filled with self-doubt, feelings of alienation, and teenage angst, exacerbated by her domineering father and aloof mother, played by Jason Isaacs and Mira Sorvino, respectively.

A significant element employed by the film is the extensive use of mirrors; they serve as a powerful metaphor throughout the story. The tension begins to rise when Maria starts noticing her reflection in the mirror begins to change. It starts to interact with her in strange, unknowable ways, further straining her relationships and her already fragile emotional and mental state. Ensuing events continue to test the boundaries of Maria's identity, relationships, and mental health as she grapples with her sinister reflection.

India Eisley, who takes on a dual role, skillfully navigates the complexities of each persona with an impressive intensity. As Maria, Eisley delivers an authentic representation of a troubled teenager spiraling into a crisis. As Airam, Maria's mirror reflection, she effortlessly switches gears to an ominous and brooding presence, making the character all the more unnerving by her steely cold demeanor and calculated malevolence.

Jason Isaacs, playing the authoritarian father, a well-to-do successful cosmetic surgeon, gives an unsettling performance that only amplifies the disturbing atmosphere of the film. He is deliberately detached and unempathetic towards Maria's plight, which only agitates her internal turmoil. Mira Sorvino perfectly captures the essence of her character, who's a somewhat distant, alcoholic mother, drifting in her own problems and insecurities.

What makes Look Away compelling is not only the chilling narrative but also its keen exploration of themes of identity, adolescence, familial dysfunction, and appearance vs reality. The movie makes astute observations about society's obsession with physical beauty, mirrored in Isaacs's profession and Sorvino's character's fixation on maintaining her youth. It also effectively portrays the intense pressure dysfunctional families can put on a teenager and how it can have a debilitating effect on their mental health.

Director Assaf Bernstein does a commendable job in keeping up the pace of the movie, slowly but surely dialing up the tension as Maria's life begins to spiral out of control. Despite the violence and distressing scenes, Bernstein manages to present it artistically, leaving enough room for psychological interpretation.

The cinematography of Look Away also deserves special mention. It takes full advantage of the icy landscapes of Winnipeg, Canada, where it was filmed, giving the movie a bleak, chilly aura that contributes to its overall eerie tone. This movie is a visually arresting spectacle, with each frame carefully composed to incorporate the prominent use of reflections, mirror images, and symmetry.

Overall, Look Away offers a chilling cinematic journey that is both a psychological exploration of identity and a terrifying study of the darkness within. It questions the terrifying prospect of who we might be when we peel back the layers of our exterior, literally and metaphorically. Despite its subliminal grotesquery and dark narrative, the film aids in opening up difficult dialogues about mental health and the societal constructs of beauty. With stellar performances, hauntingly beautiful cinematography, and its brutal honesty, Look Away firmly plants itself as a worthy entry in the psychological thriller genre.