#matt shingledecker

"Maybe it was love and @caitlinfinnie16 ‘s soaring performance as Christine. Maybe it was @mattleisy ‘s endearing Raoul after having learned from and worked with him at @charlestonstage over a decade-and-a-half ago. Maybe it was @jroxmouth ‘s entrancing vocal performance and physicality as the Phantom. Maybe it was @potoworldwide itself, @andrewlloydwebber ‘s music, the village it takes to mount a show like this, and the memories of having performed the titular role at @elonmusictheatre . Maybe it was the experience of live theater itself in a country which saved its theater industry with an effective national response to this pandemic. I felt chills throughout the performance, caught myself leaning forward in anticipation twice, laughed in the few moments of levity, and cried cathartically in the finale. Oh, how I miss the theater."

Director(s) Sam Zalutsky Screenplay By Sam Zalutsky Date Released 8/20/2019 Genre(s) Drama Good If You Like

Films Which Put You Into A Lull Then Suddenly Ramp Up

Noted Cast Daphne Ariana DeBose Roger Matt Shingledecker Susanna Steffanie Leigh Alexandra Zorn Jana Lee Hamblin

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Seaside Plot Summary/ Review

24-year-old Daphne has, not too long ago, gotten back with Roger and their relationship is far from ideal. To hide her from his dad, she has to sneak into his window and sneak out the next morning. Yet, taking note of a dead-end job which pays $12 an hour, her mother’s home perhaps soon to be foreclosed on, it makes you understand why she is with the very rich Roger, despite us rarely seeing him solely in his underwear.

However, when Roger’s father dies and spites him by passing what should be Roger’s inheritance to Roger’s children, a plan is put in place. One never spoken to Daphne, but it seems she understands. After all, the main reason she is with him is for a better life and to get what she deserves.

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Highlights

After The 50 Minute Mark, It Ramps Up

Without spoiling things too much, that is done on the next page, let’s just say one of the dullest movies I’ve seen in a long time quickly tries to shake things up at around 50 minutes in. It presents an angle which, admittedly, comes out of nowhere, but it allows DeBose to tap into her star power more and finally give you a reason to finish the film. If only to see how the reveal is going to play out and how far Zlutsky and the cast were going to take it.

Criticism

You Might Struggle To Hit That 50 Minute Mark

But, despite things getting better in the latter half, I can not overstate how I was regretting the $5 or $6 I spent when I first started watching this. For despite being in modern times, off in Seaside, Oregon, everything about this film was as dull as a period drama. Roger and Daphne’s relationship? No chemistry. Even their intimate moments were bland since both actors look so uncomfortable. Almost to the point it makes you wonder if there was an incident that went unreported.

Then, story-wise, it’s very indie drama which is more about showing how good of an actor this person or that person is than something which is supposed to have entertainment value. But, problem is, like Will Smith in After Earth, DeBose’s charm is watered down to the point that, if she was your main reason for renting or buying this, you’ll be disappointed.

Hell, to show you how much I struggled with this, I started watching this early in the morning, let’s say 9AM, and I hemmed and hawed my way through it and didn’t finish it until the evening. And I only finished it due to paying for it. If this were on Prime, Netflix, or something else, I would have dropped it and moved on.

Overall: Mixed (Divisive)

What saves this film is the chaos which comes after the 50-minute mark. But, I should note, said chaos only livens it up but doesn’t at all make it something worth seeing. For the twist, if you will, seems like an act of desperation. Like Zalutsky reached a point where a deadline forced them to write something and rather than go over and over the beginning, they decided to go chaotic and throw in a huge amount of back story and drama. Enough to jar the audience, make them suddenly aware of what’s going on, yet also wonder was any of this built up to or not? Hence the mixed label.

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Seaside Ending Explained

So get this, Daphne and Roger are siblings, with Daphne’s father likely being Roger’s. Which means all their messing around is incest. But there is more. Daphne may have been the product of an assault and her whole thing when it came to going after Roger, and his family’s money, likely stemmed from her mother not getting enough in a settlement. Which has become a major issue since it seems her mom hasn’t fully recovered, mentally especially, and that could be why there is fear of losing the house.

Oh, and there is more to this. Daphne seemingly found Roger’s ex named Susanna, who is a little off, and easy to manipulate. She has her join her charade and uses her to take the fall when they both murder Roger. Now, mind you, Susanna is known to be weird and volatile. Also, she has a bone to pick with Roger since they used to date but, when she got pregnant, she was coerced into getting an abortion. Thus, she had all the motive in the world.

But there is one more thing! On top of using Susanna, Daphne works with Roger’s family lawyer, Alexandra Zorn, to make sure she gets the money. Now, whether or not Alexandra will get a cut? Who knows? All that is clear is she wasn’t part of the plan to kill Roger, but with Daphne having her number, in terms of sleeping with Roger’s dad, maybe messing with his money, she’d rather support Daphne than go against her.

Is A Sequel Possible?

A prequel would work more than a sequel since the film really does rush dropping all this information about Daphne and Roger being siblings, Daphne’s mom being assaulted, and this plot Daphne had to get Roger’s money.

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