AWARD THIS! 2023 NOMINEE! An on-line blind date goes horribly unsuitable in administrators Carlos Rafael Betancourt and Oscar Ernesto Ortega’s abduction thriller, Borrowed. Our story begins innocently sufficient with Justin (Héctor Medina) arriving on the residence of reclusive artist David (Jonathan Del Arco) for a blind date. Sure, there are a number of crimson flags that Justin ought to have thought of earlier than heading out, similar to the person’s restricted social media presence. Another instance is that David’s house is secluded within the Florida Keys. But he’s a identified artist within the space, so how harmful may this be?
The date begins with the standard pleasantries. Justin brings a bottle of wine. During dinner, the 2 interact in conversations about their particular person lives and vocations. David turns into so enamored with Justin that he asks him to take away his shirt so he can paint his portrait. Things are going effectively till each reveal they’ve been performing some stalker-like analysis on each other. Uncomfortable with the state of affairs, Justin decides to finish the date, however David locks the door and retains Justin prisoner for unknown causes and an indeterminate period of time.
“…David locks the door and retains Justin prisoner for unknown causes…”
Borrowed is just not your typical abduction story. If you’re on the lookout for gratuitous torture porn, you’ll not discover it right here. There is physicality however nothing salacious. Instead, the thriller is extra like a play in that the thrills are available in an mental and emotional recreation of cat and mouse. Throughout the movie, David’s motivations are held near the vest. At first, it seems like David hopes to finally seize Justin’s affection together with his attraction, attractiveness, and sympathetic story. This tactic appears to work till you understand that Justin is a traditional human who doesn’t wish to dwell like a trapped animal. Of course, he’s merely ready for the correct second to behave.
The movie shines due to an intriguing script tailored by Jim Kierstead, Betancourt, and Ortega, from Kierstead’s play. The story dives deep into the characters and their motivations on either side of the kidnapping. What leads an individual like David to take such excessive ways towards an harmless particular person/object of lust? In flip, we’re dropped proper in Justin’s sneakers and requested, what would you do? Jonathan Del Arco and Héctor Medina are merely sensible and fascinating of their nuanced performances. Both roles are advanced and always shift between the psychological state of an abductor and abductee and a chess participant making an attempt to determine the following strikes.
