Night Moves is a thrilling drama that stars Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning and Peter Sarsgaard as a trio of radical environmentalists who join forces to bomb a hydroelectric dam. Director Kelly Reichardt brings this story to life through lingering shots and lavish cinematography of the film’s Oregon setting.
The pacing of Night Moves is deliberately very methodical and drawn out – a decision that comes with both pros and cons. The film occasionally feels tedious – and this may alienate some audiences – but the slow pace does add a sense of authenticity and realism to things.
Clearly not a movie concerned with spectacle, Night Moves puts the focus firmly on the human drama between its characters. The film does a stellar job of building suspense both before and after the bombing. That said, this works against the film when it comes to the third act. Although somewhat by design, the ending lacks punch.
Reichardt does a good job of letting scenes unfold in ways that feel natural. You connect with the human faces behind the ecoterrorism and share in their sinking feelings of tension and later betrayal. It’s a powerful thing for a film to achieve and Night Moves handles this with grace.
Although he does feel a little typecast as the socially awkward lead Joshua, Eisenberg does a great job of capturing his character’s paranoia. Sarsgaard and Fanning are fine but occasionally slip into the background – though this lack of presence is less to do with them and more to do with the script lending Eisenberg the most screen time.
Its slow pace and lack of spectacle may alienate some but Night Moves is a well-made and highly polished case study in transgression and consequence.
3.5/5 stars
Night Moves is in cinemas from Thursday September 11.
