Tribeca 2021: ‘Ultrasound’ Film Review
Ultrasound, Rob Schroeder’s feature debut, premiered as part of the Tribeca 2021 Film Festival U.S. Narrative Competition section.
SYNOPSIS: After his car breaks down, Glen spends one hell of an odd night with a married couple, setting into motion a chain of events that alter their lives plus those of several random strangers.
Schroeder’s interpretation of Conor Stechschulte’s novel, Generous Bosom (who also penned the script), was a dark, twisted, confusing string of events that would only make sense to a sinister minded individual who uses people like puppets with the excuse of it being for “science”. The film begins when Glen (Vincent Kartheiser), runs over a bed of nails that leads him to seek refuge on a rainy night at Art (Bob Stephenson) and Cyndi’s (Chelsea Lopez) home. Although Glen is simply looking for shelter, Art offers him to bed with his wife. This is just the tip of the iceberg for the many hypnotic events to follow. The film also follows senator re-elect hopeful Alex Harris (Chris Gartin) and his mistress Katie (Rainey Qualley), whose character toggles between appearing with child, then without and then again with the cut of the camera. The third storyline sees Shannon (Breeda Wool), a psychological researcher employed at a facility run by Dr. Conners (Tunde Adebimpe) in the middle of groundbreaking research using sound to control patients. Sounds boring at first, until you realize Shannon somehow has and rehearses the complete dialogue from Glen and Cyndi’s encounters – the viewer knows they’re in for more than tonal sounds and simple science.
Aesthetically, Ultrasound gives everything necessary for a psychological thriller; moody lighting matched with satisfyingly peculiar angles that can twist your mind as much as the storyline. Sonically, the selection from Zak Engel was perfectly matched to the jewel toned film. The score added all the intensity and thrills needed to raise the stakes for the viewer.
To top it all off, the film ended leaving the viewer still wondering if everything they just witnessed was true to what they were led to believe with the Inception-like ending. All in all, Ultrasound served from performances, to aesthetic to sound. A solid psychological thriller to watch.
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