Retro Film Review: 11:14 (2003)

Certain films, on occasion, can inspire negative emotions, not necessarily towards the film itself, but rather the contemporary film industry. This was the experience of the author of this review when watching the 2003 black comedy, 11:14, directed by Greg Marcks. The film showcased the minimal requirements for quality entertainment, yet its qualities were overlooked by distributors, leading to its obscurity.

The film's plot unfolds in the small American suburb of Middleton over the course of one eventful night. The narrative appears to begin with Jack, played by Henry Thomas, a young, slightly inebriated man who drives a car. At 11:14 PM, his vehicle collides with an unfortunate victim, a man killed and disfigured in the crash. Jack's attempts to conceal his crime only lead him to discover a series of bizarre and macabre events involving armed robberies, genital mutilations, overprotective parents, and young people with a penchant for perverse sex or substance abuse.

At first glance, the plot seems intricate. However, Marcks' use of a non-linear narrative structure for the script proves to be an effective storytelling technique. This approach, popularised by Tarantino, is used to great effect in 11:14. The narrative unfolds gradually through different perspectives, each adding another piece to the puzzle. The transitions are seamless, and the audience remains engaged, despite the plot's resolution being telegraphed in advance. This is largely due to the intelligent script and realistic characters, who, despite their ordinariness, find themselves in extraordinary circumstances due to a series of unfortunate coincidences.

The film benefits from a small but capable cast, including younger actors like Shawn Hatosy and Rachael Leigh Cook, as well as veterans like Patrick Swayze and Barbara Hershey. However, some characters, particularly the older ones, are not fully developed. The ending also lacks emotional impact, possibly due to the absence of a deeper meaning in the story. 11:14 can be seen as a stylistic exercise rather than a standalone film, but even so, it provides enough entertainment to warrant a recommendation.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

(Note: Original version of the review is available here.)

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