By Romey Norton - November 11, 2024
Nathan Hill directs and stars in the 2019 thriller I, Portrait. This film is one of Hill's darker stories, as we follow a newly married couple who receives a surprise visit from an old friend who hatches a plan to end their relationship. Hill’s trying to revive an old genre of an erotic thriller with I, Portrait, and in some cases, it works, and in others, it doesn’t.
Julian (Nathan Hill) is happily married to Carmen (Natalie Heslop) and they have a wonderful life together. That is until Carmen admits that she’s had an unusual power since being a child; that she can bring to life anything she draws. This comes to bite her when an old friend comes back into the mix and now their marriage is up for question as she believes Julian is her soul mate.
The film has a long credit opening, with a James Bond vibe, with an emotional song over clips of our protagonist going about his daily life. This sets the whole tone as the film is a very slow burner. The story is easy to follow and understand, but it lacks drama, tension, and conflict. Even the sex scenes seemed downplayed.
There are a few shot sequences where orchestral music is played over the film and they feel out of place and make the pace even slower. One of the sections with the horses is nice, but it doesn’t do anything for the plot development. Another example is one where the three are eating and we have quick cuts between the three of them eating and smiling - it wasn’t needed. This film needed more dialogue to build the sexual tension and conflicts.
The acting is a little more kitchen-sink daytime drama than I expected, but there are still some strong moments. As a couple Julian and Carmen’s chemistry feels weak and a little awkward, rather than deeply in love. The friend does bring a new dynamic and I think they could have gone further with her and made her more neurotic and psychopathic from the start.
The drawing of Julian is hilarious, though. Props to whoever drew that, I hope Hill has it framed somewhere. However, this is the only comedic moment.
Towards the end, there’s a little more drama and intensity, but that’s slowly overshone by a terrible fight scene. So terrible I burst out laughing. But I do have to give it to the actors who are fully committed to making this film happen and telling this story.
With a stereotypical jump cut to six months later, the film's ending is as slow as its start. As if nothing had ever happened.
Overall, I, Portrait is an easy watch that will build curiosity but might leave you cold. The film is so bland that it barely fits into any genre, but if you’re a fan of kitchen-sink drama, then add it to your list. It’s not a favourite of mine from Nathan Hill, but luckily, he’s got a lot more films to offer.
I, Portrait is available on digital platforms
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