MOTOR CITY Review: Trying Something New, Which Sort Of Works

Introduction

Sparkling dialogue is not the trademark of traditional action movies. Potsy Ponciroli’s Motor City attempts to cultivate an action film nearly devoid of any dialogue, and it sort of works. What starts as a novelty begins to feel like a crutch. This is not a film that has been widely publicized for its conceit, but it does help knowing there won’t be any dialogue. With that expectation in mind, you can understand what the filmmaker is trying to do. Otherwise, it would be easy to get confused about why no one is saying anything. Once you get on board with what the film is doing, it’s easier to take in.  But that knowledge doesn’t enhance the film.

There is a big difference between a film that attempts to tell a story without an expected element and a trick for its own sake. For the first 10 minutes or so, you get the general idea of what the film is trying to do, but then you realize how pointless it all is. There is no reasoning for this; it’s just something the filmmakers decide to do. Only five spoken lines exist in the whole film, and only the last two make any sort of narrative sense. In fact, there’s an entire subplot which frankly needs dialogue to make it worthwhile. Instead, it’s thrown to the side. It’s one thing to trust an audience; it’s another to do it performatively.

Synopsis

Though not officially based off The Count of Monte Cristo, the film’s plot flows similarly. Alan Ritchson stars as John Miller, a working class Vietnam veteran in 1977 Detroit. Miller buys an engagement ring to propose to his waitress girlfriend Sophia (Shailene Woodley), whom Miller rescued from mobster Reynolds (Ben Foster). As Miller proposes, the police raid his house and discover drugs in his car planted by corrupt police detective Savick (Pablo Schreiber), leading to Miller’s arrest and incarceration.

With Miller away and in prison, Sophia returns to Reynolds. Savick’s fellow detective Kent (Benjamin McKenzie) deduces Miller’s innocence, and attempts to inform Sophia. Miller’s friends Youngblood (Lionel Boyce) and Singh (Amar Chadha-Patel) concoct a plan to spring Miller out of prison and rescue Sophia.

Analysis

I’m not certainly not against the idea of trying something new and taking out an expected element, but this was an unorthodox way to do it. Some word-less scenes are self-explanatory, with characters making clear communication without the words. Other times, the film detaches from the characters and shows a conversation without actually having the words be heard.

This is a double-edged sword. The lack of speaking forces the audience to pay attention to the screen. Motor City is a film not meant for streaming. It’s a film that requires a captive audience to understand what just happened, since the dialogue isn’t there to help your brain fill in the gaps. I commend the film for trying this, but it also doesn’t do a great job of filling in the visual space. Instead of some balls-to-the-walls action film, the narrative relies on slow-motion visuals and a 70s rock soundtrack. Despite a few standout action sequences, those scenes take too long to arrive and are too spaced out between silence to make an impact.

The film is by no means unwatchable, but just takes some getting used to. If you were to approach the film blindly, it would take a good 20 minutes to understand why no one is speaking. It’s an alienating idea, but it proves the filmmakers have a clear vision for what kind of story they want to tell. They don’t want to rely on bad dialogue and delivery to make an impact. As a viewer, it’s a definite adjustment.

Cast

While knowing there would be no dialogue, the film is well-cast with actors who can deliver a complete performance with only visual language. Ritchson and his hulking frame is perfect for a film where a mammoth man breaks out of prison and wreaks havoc. Woodley might be overdoing her part a bit, but that might also be a byproduct of the film. There is no language to express, so she has to go big in order to dictate to the audience what a fractured character she is.

Foster is imminently watchable, though you get what you pay for when you hire him. A notorious method actor, Foster clearly has carte blanche with the character and commits to the bigness of his role. Boyce and Schreiber fit their archetypes well, while McKenzie does some excellent work wearing his concern on his face like a mask. Chadha-Patel was the big takeaway, portraying menace, sly mischief, and a breathtaking physicality.

Conclusion

Motor City will be an adjustment to viewers who know what to expect. It might not be doing anything groundbreaking, but it is trying something different, which is commendable in and of itself.

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