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Directed by Sophia Takal (Black Christmas 2019), Act One is a twisted, psychosexual drama that played well to Tribeca Film Festival audiences. Ella Beatty (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You), daughter of Annette Bening and Warren Beatty plays Hannah, an aspiring actress who is desperate for guidance and belonging. Hannah falls under the spell of a manipulative acting coach named Melanie (Ari Graynor), who draws her into a web of control and obsession. A dark, slow burner with excellent performances and an unsettling atmosphere throughout that you cannot shake, Act One is a strong thriller etched with sex and power.
Act One is careful and meticulous in the way the thriller aspect is presented. It can definitely be considered a slow burn as the tension and anxiety carefully trickles through by the minute, but Takal manages to craft a dark atmosphere from the very first frame. As soon as we meet Hannah and her family, we can see her life isn’t going according to plan. Her parents are not only constantly arguing, but don’t understand her passion towards acting, instead putting focus on her school grades. This causes Hannah to seek that support elsewhere, leading her into the grasp of Melanie. The run-time is so thematically rich with intriguing dialogue and superb theme exploration, that it avoids feeling like a waiting game for the darkest aspects to kick in. The idea of obsession leaps off the screen during every sequence, whether it be Hannah’s dangerous dedication towards her craft or acting coach Melanie’s dysfunctional teaching methods, especially towards naive and vulnerable Hannah. A web is being spun by Takal, and it’s one that you find yourself stuck in almost immediately. It’s hard to guess the characters next moves due to their unpredictability, and it’s also hard to imagine they’ll give in to their deepest, darkest thoughts and desires. The pay off during the third act also makes that slow burn even more worth it – boundaries are pushed, and the plot becomes even more uncomfortable. It’s worth the wait.
Why Act One Is a Slow-Burn Psychosexual Thriller Worth Every Uncomfortable Minute
The dedication and talent from the cast is what really brings Takal’s script and themes to life. At the centre of the web is Ella Beatty, who fully commits to the intricate, complex role of Hannah. Shaking off any accusations of nepo baby status in one single performance, Beatty is absolutely captivating. She plays the role with a surprising amount of nuance given the bold subjects discussed, showing that Hannah is merely along for the ride and glad to finally be getting the support and attention she requires. She equally provides the emotional beats required when things grow darker, showing range and promise. Thanks to Ari Graynor, acting coach Melanie is the kind of character you hate to love. You can see that her methods are more dangerous than unconventional, and as a viewer you’re practically shouting at the screen warning Hannah away from her, but at the same time, there is a sexy allure there that makes you relate to Hannah’s infatuation of her. Graynor effortlessly flits between the calm, kind side of Melanie and her evil streak, creating such an intriguing antagonist. Notable supporting performances are also given from Nate Mann (Licorice Pizza) as acting partner with an ulterior motive Henry, and Elizabeth Reaser (The Twilight Saga) as Hannah’s unsupportive but worried mother.
One of the biggest criticisms of filmmaker Takal’s Black Christmas remake from 2019 is that she was way too overt with the themes, screaming them at the audience from minute one. Seemingly learning from those mistakes, Act One is far less heavy handed, allowing her strong ideas to make themselves known in the visual language alongside the dialogue. Takal’s script is fantastic, balancing family drama and coming-of-age ideas with those thriller beats perfectly, enveloping viewers into a world that’s both relatable and bleak. She also allows the actors and the scenes to do the work for her story, with actions and facial expressions saying a lot more than words can. One scene in particular, featuring Hannah walking in on Henry, Melanie and another acting colleague Aggie (Sinclair Daniel) doing something very familiar, shows Hannah that her experience might not be as singular and special as she once thought. The visuals also impress in the way Act One is shot and edited. There’s some stark, fade to red screens in-between key sequences that enforce those disturbing feelings to come through, and the cinematography remains intimate and close at all times, mimicking the tight hold Hannah is enveloped in. The filmmaking is impressive across the board.
Act One may take a while to show its true colours, but those with a keen eye will see that powerful final act building all the way from the first minute. With strong performances, intriguing themes and an immersive aesthetic appeal, Act One is a fantastic psychosexual thriller combining power and control with obsession towards our craft.
Grade: B
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Act One
A young aspiring actress, desperate for guidance and belonging, falls under the spell of a manipulative acting coach who draws her into a web of control and obsession.
