M.F.A. (2017)

Studio:       Dark Sky Films
Director:    Natalia Leite
Writer:       Leah McKendrick
Producer:  Leah McKendrick, Mike C. Manning, Shintaro Shimosawa
Stars:     Francesca Eastwood, Clifton Collins Jr., Leah McKendrick, Peter Vack, David Sullivan, Marlon Young, Michael Welch, Mike C. Manning, David Huynh, Melanie Britton

Review Score:

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Summary:

An inhibited grad student’s experience with sexual assault inspires her to take shocking action as a vengeful vigilante.

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Synopsis:     Show/Hide Spoilers

Luke Owen, an MFA grad student in Balboa University’s visual arts program, invites introverted classmate Noelle to a party at his place. While alone in Luke’s bedroom, the couple begins kissing until Luke suddenly turns aggressive and rapes Noelle.

Noelle’s roommate Skye tries taking Noelle out of telling anyone by saying she knew someone who spoke up about being raped, but the university silenced and humiliated her. Noelle still tells campus psychotherapist Melinda Sanders, but becomes discouraged when Melinda asks accusatory questions about how much Noelle had to drink and whether she specifically said, “no.”

Luke texts Noelle asking her to come over. Noelle does, but confronts Luke about the rape and demands an apology. Luke refuses, leading to a physical confrontation where Noelle inadvertently pushes Luke over a railing and kills him.

Detective Kennedy investigates Luke’s death. Discovering that Noelle was the last person Luke texted, Kennedy briefly questions Noelle before ultimately letting her go.

While reading an online article about Luke’s death, Noelle finds another story concerning Kappa Phi fraternity brothers and football players Mason Fischer, Jeremiah Marx, and Conor McGingley being acquitted of sexual assault charges. Noelle finds online video of the assault in question and sees three men gang raping a drunken girl at a party.

Noelle tracks down the trio’s victim, Lindsey Shaw. Lindsey initially dismisses Noelle until Noelle explains her intention to focus her new thesis project on the men who raped them. Noelle also meets with a rape prevention peer group on campus, but becomes discouraged that their focus is on defensive measures and online activism instead of directly addressing the issue at its source.

Noelle sneaks into a Kappa Phi party, seduces Mason, drugs his drink, and then chokes him to death. Detective Kennedy also investigates this death and connects Mason to the highly publicized rape case acquittal.

Noelle’s previously restrained paintings become bolder and more provocative. Professor Rudd and classmates including her friend Shane praise Noelle for being less inhibited about her artwork.

Noelle returns to the frat house and murders Jeremiah in the bathroom by strangling him with his belt. Kennedy comes to question the other two football players about Mason’s death and discovers Jeremiah’s body. Meanwhile, Noelle finds Conor showering in the stadium locker room and beats him to death with a hammer following a struggle.

While enjoying pizza together, Noelle and Shane begin kissing. Noelle gives Shane permission to go further, but when he makes a move similar to Luke, Noelle recoils and demands that he leave.

Noelle comes home to find Skye cutting herself and crying in the bathroom. Noelle does research and discovers that the story Skye told earlier was actually about her. Skye previously went by the name Daisy Aston and was raped by basketball player Calvin Reeves. However, Skye dropped the charges because of the pressure and anxiety that the case put her through.

Noelle gets statistics from campus police claiming that zero forcible rapes have been reported. She then steals Skye’s case file and discovers psychotherapist Melinda Sanders also handled Skye’s report. Noelle confronts Melinda about doctoring statistics to protect the school and its athletic programs, and threatens to harm her if she does not voluntarily quit.

Noelle tracks down Calvin Reeves, uses a stun gun to kidnap him, and holds him captive in the center of the basketball court. Calvin begins screaming when police enter the arena, compelling Noelle to stab Calvin in the throat with scissors and flee.

Detective Kennedy puts together that Noelle is the link between Skye’s rapist and the fraternity trio. Kennedy mentions that Calvin survived and is in ICU while trying to question Skye, but Skye refuses to speak with the detective.

Suspicious of her roommate’s actions the night before, Skye finds evidence proving that Noelle attacked Calvin. Skye angrily confronts Noelle and blames her for forcing Skye to relive the trauma she was trying to bury. Noelle promises to surrender to police in the morning.

Noelle wakes to find a suicide note from Skye in which she confesses to being the campus killer to get Noelle off the hook. Noelle is devastated to find Skye dead in the bathroom.

Detective Kennedy interviews Noelle, who is cryptic about the murder victims deserving their deaths. Noelle reconciles with Shane and also burns Skye’s confessional note.

At graduation, Noelle delivers a moving commencement speech. After the ceremony, Detective Kennedy and the police take Noelle into custody.

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Review:

“M.F.A.” moves fast for slow burn suspense.  Engage with it only on a revenge fantasy entertainment level and you might miss everything the film accomplishes artistically and thematically through its subtext.

We meet Noelle, a visual arts graduate student, as she presents a painting to her class for group evaluation.  Professor and peer comments are bluntly unflattering, albeit in a manner meant to inspire the young woman and push her to stop conforming to safe, familiar boundaries.

Such a scene seems intended to establish Noelle’s starting point as someone reserved, introspective, and certainly uncomfortable as the center of attention.  This may be the primary purpose.  But the secondary one is equally important, if not more.

It’s known from the premise that Noelle is fated to experience a traumatic assault.  The real showcase in this introductory scene is its function as foreshadowing for how Noelle ends up regarded as a victim.  In front of her class she is vulnerable, helpless, anxious, and under an intense microscope of judgment.  Except this scrutinizing is officially sanctioned and considered acceptable, even required.  The parallel in play here specifically ponders the culpability of social conditioning in creating patterns of victimization many may not even notice.

Noelle is only mildly introverted, not really a bookish wallflower.  Still, she can’t quite believe Luke, the heartthrob hotshot from art class, invited her to his place for a party.  Noelle’s reciprocated affection turns to revulsion though, when Luke’s passionate kissing becomes perverted petting, and then becomes something far worse.

Every move “M.F.A.” makes is done deftly and done deliberately.  When Luke rapes Noelle, the camera captures the crux in one unedited take, making the moment as naked as Noelle and allowing her horror to scream for itself.  When a fellow rape survivor recounts her own experience over conversation later, a handheld camera comes in close and sways subtly from side to side, replicating a slightly nauseous effect that mirrors the memory’s emotion.  Director Natalia Leite and D.P. Aaron Kovalchik think through their intent in each individual shot.  There are no unimportant details.  Every inclusion plays an intelligently plotted purpose.

As Noelle’s post-rape transformation takes center stage, that fellow survivor, whom police once dismissed as a promiscuous liar, and a secondary investigative detective appear like superfluous players in a storyline that has moved past their necessity.  Then they have a scene together where the detective asks the woman for assistance that might solve the case, giving her the turned worm opportunity to slam the door in his face with a, “you expect ME to help YOU?”

Every moment also has a meaning.  And it isn’t always the obvious one, if it is immediately obvious at all.

Leah McKendrick’s screenplay is assertive in its timely tackling of contemporary rape culture, yet careful to not aggressively make assumptions or narrowly focus underlying issues.  A man committed Noelle’s rape, but this is not necessarily a gender versus gender concern.  The friend who tries talking Noelle out of telling authorities is her flirtatious female roommate.  The administrative official responding to Noelle’s report with accusatory questions is also a woman.  Problematic behavior is systemic, and the power dominating those who are marginalized can be wielded by established institutions, or anyone we come to believe we can trust.

Singling out any highlight as “M.F.A.’s” top does a disservice to how many components are essential in creating a multilayered experience of cinematic suspense and social commentary.  But no discussion of the movie can conclude without acknowledging Francesca Eastwood’s outstandingly effective and affecting portrayal of Noelle.

Francesca Eastwood creates a complete, complex character almost exclusively through her eyes.  Not by scrunching eyelids to show anger.  Not by furrowing her brow to emote confusion.  Eastwood’s performance is powered by emotion as opposed to physicality.  She first firms Noelle’s persona in her head and only then shows us everything going on right there in her face.

“M.F.A” examines several perspectives, perhaps leaning toward one more than the other, but giving multiple notions their day in court without feeling noncommittal about the statements it wishes to make.  The message always involves empowerment, right through an ending that is hopeful in its hopelessness, making for a depressingly apt metaphor about there being no happy outcomes when it comes to sexual trauma.  Punishment, prison, even death for perpetrators provides limited solace while suffering, healing, and metamorphosis remain ongoing processes for victims.

Rape/revenge thrillers are usually of the sleazily exploitive variety, or else lean into Lifetime MOW cautionary tale territory.  “M.F.A” keeps its feet on solider ground, and is a more richly rewarding movie for it.

On its surface, “M.F.A.” satiates appetites for slasher suspense with gruesome visual gusto to match psychological intensity percolating underneath.  Though suggestive insight into cause and effect regarding all radiating crimes is where the movie really makes it mark, haunting the head with provocative questions while hitting hard in the heart with righteous rage.

Review Score:  85

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