Shimmer Lake

Shimmer Lake is a gripping American crime drama that premiered in 2017, featuring Benjamin Walker in the prominent role of a sharp, bittersweet, and relentless sheriff. Directed and written by Oren Uziel, the movie boasts a stellar line-up of actors that include Rainn Wilson and Stephanie Sigman. Showcasing a unique narrative style and a compelling convergence of well-developed characters, the movie delivers a captivating story that will leave you captivated until the very end.

The storyline unravels itself much like the way Benjamin Walker's character, Zeke Sikes, unravels the crime that becomes the driving force behind this crushing tale of immorality and retribution. The small-town sheriff explores the underbelly of his quaint, once-peacful hometown of Shimmer Lake as he doggedly follows the trail of a trio of bank robbers. His job takes up a personal narrative when his own brother, Andy (played by Rainn Wilson), is increasingly suspected to be involved in the robbery.

Rainn Wilson, better known for his light-hearted role in 'The Office,' breaks stereotypes with his portrayal of Andy, bringing out a striking blend of desperation and darkness to his character that adds a haunting layer to the movie's narrative. It's clear from the start that even when Andy's actions teeter on dangerous, his motives run deeper and bars an unanticipated emotional turmoil.

Meanwhile, Stephanie Sigman portrays Martha, a woman that appears caught amid the brewing storm without an umbrella. As Andy's wife, her character provides a soft pivot in an otherwise intense narrative, offering quieter moments of contemplation within the movie's crux.

What earns Shimmer Lake a mark of distinction in the entourage of crime drama is the unique execution of its story—unfolded in reverse chronology. This unusual storytelling device, an almost reverse heist, is employed in a revolutionary manner where we start from the end and trace back our steps back to the beginning. It's like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, making the audience acutely aware of their engagement with the events on screen as they slowly uncover the underlying truth.

Charged with surprises, revelations, unexpected humor, and red herrings, the concealed story unfurls backward from Friday to Tuesday, revealing the events in shuffled moments of time. Shimmer Lake doesn't reveal its cards at once; instead, it plays with them, tossing them up and down, steering your attention from one character to the other as each day passes - or rather revert, inching you closer to the elusive point zero.

While Uziel churns a reverse ratchet towards the film's (or, in this case, the story's) inception, every character - not just the leads - is fleshed out with meticulous precision. Each character is a complex piece of machinery tangled in the ongoing chain of events, encompassing a roster including local law enforcement officers, felons and miscreants, and suspicious yet unsuspecting townsfolk.

The moody, atmospheric design of Shimmer Lake makes it a visual experience. The dusky, almost noir-esque palette is a nod to its mystery-thriller genre, and it does justice to the suspense and plot twists that hinge at the core of Uziel's narrative.

The film excels in balancing its narrative detail with its intricate story structure, darting back and forth along with the timeline but never losing sight of the looming crises. All in all, Shimmer Lake boldly presents a multi-faceted illustration of crime, morality, and consequence, all the while playing with audience expectations.

In the end, Shimmer Lake is an engaging crime thriller that steadily takes us on a roller coaster of emotions, skimming the surface of human nature and crime. While the movie's plot builds towards a climax that befits the genre, the reverse narrative is the star, creating an unorthodox viewing experience that binds the viewers to the screen, leaving them intrigued and eager to gather the scattered pieces of the puzzle. The combination of a unique narrative style, disturbing yet intriguing characters, outstanding performances, and arresting premises exclaim this as a must-watch movie for suspense and drama enthusiasts.