Little White Lies review - (Sarah)

I've written the film review for our film, however it needs to be put into InDesign which can only be done in college so here is the final review just in written form:

Despite only being five minutes in length, Fault gives a realistic representation of the present youth’s attitude towards drink driving. The directors continue to triumphantly bring us another award winning film, a follow up to the original 2013 thriller ‘Alone’. The basic plot line follows an 18 year old girl (Sophie) and the story of how she has ended up locked in a serious coma from which we are unsure of if she will awake due to drink driving. The film takes a slight educational theme (public information film) in the way it teaches young teens the main cause of vehicle crashes.

Revealing with no prior background knowledge, the film is introduced opening with an isolated hospital scene, forcing us as the audience to question the event that led to this situation. Writers Sarah Main, Beth Evans, Josh Mitchell and Becky Whitaker have portrayed the classic stereotype that the characters of this age are irresponsible and drink alcohol. This portrays the film’s antagonist to also be the protagonist. Although Sophie in essence kills her best friend, we begin to feel pity for the character, even more due to her young age.

The film takes a strong structural order using a non-linear narrative. This is due to the flashbacks the character is reliving, portraying to the audience the stages which led to her current state. Through this we take a slight point of view of the injured character as it is her flashbacks we view. However, the scenes themselves are viewed in third person which gives a wider and more judgemental image of the situation.

Fault also uses the aspect of the mothers’ thoughts as a voiceover while her daughter lies still in a cold hospital bed. This creates suspense and confusion as the lexis contrasts with the true personality of Sophie. Locations vary within the film, specifically the hospital scene is extremely convincing, combined with the props and makeup of the bandages and fake blood is comes together to persuade the audience this character is seriously injured.

The overall response and effect the film gives us is shock and a reminder of what the combination of alcohol and driving can lead to and for that reason the film can in a way be viewed as quite hard-hitting. However the directors use this is a way to educate the audience and lure them in. There is a clear demographic of young adults for Fault, given away by the language slang such as ‘sick’ and the stereotype that all/the majority of people this age are reckless in their decisions with their amount of alcohol intake. Although giving possibly a negative representation of young people, it teaches a strong lesson against drunk driving.