Hot off a very successful festival run is a twisted neo-noir thriller, Gazer. This is the feature film debut for director and co-writer Ryan J. Sloan as well as for co-writer Ariella Mastroianni. Gazer tells the story of Frankie, a widowed mother struggling with a degenerative brain disorder that causes her to zone out and lose time. Trying to make money for her daughter, Frankie agrees to take a risky job that sends her already chaotic life spiraling out of her control.

From the moment Gazer begins, Frankie is presented as an unreliable narrator. This isn’t necessarily something she does intentionally, instead it’s due to her unique condition. She has frequent blackouts, losing time and coming to hours later with no memory of what occurred during that time. To help keep herself focused, Frankie frequently listens to cassette tapes she recorded of herself, guiding her through the different parts of her day. A chance encounter with a mysterious woman leaves Frankie with a tempting opportunity – help this woman escape her abusive brother and she will give Frankie $3000. Frankie completes her end of the bargain, although she does have a blackout along the way, but then the woman vanishes before Frankie can get her money. Frankie becomes determined to solve this mystery, but the more clues she uncovers, the more dangerous the journey.

The film is a slow burn, allowing the audience to get to know Frankie and better understand her illness before thrusting the character into danger. From there, the plot unfolds by asking more questions than it gives answers. Because the story is told from Frankie’s perspective, the audience only understands as much as she does. It allows for plenty of twists and turns along the suspenseful journey, but it also leaves much of the mystery wide open for audience interpretation. This is sure to polarize audiences, but some will love the constant tension of the unknown.

Most of the film is carried by Ariella Mastroianni (Island Escape, The Retreat), who not only co-wrote the film, but also stars as Frankie. It’s impossible not to feel for Frankie. Mastroianni makes it clear Frankie is a good person, but with her unique condition it’s almost impossible for her to maintain a job or even care for herself or her daughter. Throughout Gazer, Mastroianni creates a somewhat broken, pathetic image of her character, all while weaving a thread of uncertainty as to what Frankie is really capable of. Another great performance comes from Renee Gagner (Island Escape) as the mystery woman. At first, Gagner presents this character as a sort of wounded dove, but the more twisted the plot, the more cool, calm, and collected she seems. It gives the character an edge and makes the audience want to know more about the character’s mostives. Mastroianni and Gagner also have great on-screen chemistry that ranges from empathetic to uneasy from scene to scene.

Watching Gazer, audiences are sure to be intrigued by the combination of classic noir style with some more surrealistic elements. As soon as the film starts, the tone is set with a very classic noir style musical score by composer Steve Matthew Carter (Escaping Ohio). Gazer also has a gritty look with a muted color palette that looks in-keeping with noir films. The film diverges into a bit of surrealism when it involves Frankie’s memories. Frankie rarely remembers what she sees during her zone-out moments. Sometimes through dreams, sometimes through flashbacks, Gazer replays important moments from Frankie’s life that she can’t properly remember. Each replay changes the memory, sometimes in small ways and sometimes in massive ways, adding to the mystery and suspense. This allows for some striking visuals with bizarre practical effects in an otherwise visually simplistic film.

Gazer takes the idea of an unreliable narrator to thrilling, surreal places in this neo-noir mystery. It’s a fantastic feature film debut for Sloan and Mastroianni as they craft slow burn suspense with non-stop twists. While the pacing and unanswered questions will leave some wanting more, audiences will no doubt find themselves ensnared by the intriguing plot. Mastroianni and Gagner give exceptional performances, adding to the emotion and excitement, and the sights and sounds make for a unique viewing experience. You can see Gazer in select theaters now.

OVERALL RATING: 7/10