Learning the terrifying news of a school shooting taking place somewhere in the United States is unfairly common. It’s impossible to imagine being in the shoes of a parent learning the news their child might be in danger, but that’s the exact concept of Phillip Noyce’s Lakewood.
The film is heavily focused on looking into the realism of what that situation might be, even if it’s presented in heightened, Hollywood circumstances. The story plays out mostly in real-time, but real suspense is missing because of gimmicky execution.
Two-time Oscar nominee Naomi Watts plays Amy Carr, a single mother of two kids with a son in high school and daughter in grade two. While out on a long jog in the woods near her home, she gets a call saying there’s an active shooter at her son’s high school - meaning she needs to get back to help him.
What follows in the rest of the 80-minute run time is almost entirely watching Watts run through the woods while taking a few dozen phone calls. First its her neighbours, then her daughter, then parents, then 9-1-1, and anyone else she thinks of who can help her get to her son Noah before it’s too late.
The concept of playing out what Amy’s experience might’ve really been like is an interesting concept for a movie, but the script and its oddly perfect timing comes off as insincere instead of a compelling drama.
Having all of the action focused on watching Amy run while she’s forced to do nothing but send and receive phone calls is a lot more restrictive than you think: by scripting more than three-quarters of the movie to be one actor alone in the forest and glued to her phone, it becomes a lot more challenging to add visual variety.
Chris Sparling’s screenplay is fiercely original, but also draws on a similar concept to his 2010 film Buried, which was also a thriller focused on one actor stuck on their phone. This one at least adds the element of motion, and I did really like the short mid-film twist.
Even though the twist amounts to minimal drama, the last ten minutes pay off big when Amy finally emerges from the woods into a setting with more people. The end is the best part…and it’s hard to appreciate the journey when it’s hard to keep the audience invested after an hour of jogging. Director Noyce knows thrillers - his credits include Patriot Games and Salt. This just isn't it.
To her credit, Watts does a phenomenal job playing Amy, and this is a role clearly designed to showcase her talent. I also have a soft spot for big productions like this filmed nearby - the whole movie was filmed in North Bay, Ontario last fall.
But with a cast comprised 95% of one actor, I can’t help but imagine this movie was pitched as a project feasible during the earlier days of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the subject matter is worth exploring, Lakewood’s concept turns out to be more interesting than the film it produced.
Lakewood
5 out of 10
PG, 1hrs 24mins. Thriller Drama.
Directed by Phillip Noyce.
Starring Naomi Watts.
Available for TIFF digital rental tonight, Sept. 13, and this Thursday, Sept. 16, with tickets and rentals available here. In-person screening takes place tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 14.
Want to read reviews for more TIFF films? Reviews for more than 100 titles this year are and/or will be available here on Tyler Collins' personal website throughout the festival.
