DARKEST MIRIAM
Starring: Britt Lower, Tom Mercier, Sook-Yin Lee, and Jean Yoon
Director: Naomi Jaye
This film has been reviewed by Paige and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Fantasia International Film Festival.
PAIGE
Through layers of enigmatic depression and alienation, the quietly reflective film Darkest Miriam aims to depict intangible human emotions and experiences. Though it wants to explore such themes, it seems to be running on autopilot since it doesn't know where to go or even what to do with its premise despite moments of a poetic quality coupled with delicate performances. I really couldn't connect with or care for this movie as nothing really significant occurred throughout it. All in all, this is a hollow movie without any depth.
QUENTIN
Have you ever seen a movie that is such a nothingburger you don’t know what to say when asked, “is it good?” Darkest Miriam is that type of bland; the kind that fails to incite any real response one way or the other. I just don’t know, man. It exists, I guess. The characters never do anything worthy of your investment, but the performances aren’t bad. The story never really goes anywhere either, so why are we here? Then, it just ends with a close-up on an empty chair, which ironically, is probably how Miriam will play out in theaters – ending with empty seats.