Date of review: 30 April 2016
Shuffle is a film that starts out weird. Scenes swiftly jump about like the film is on a trampoline and are narrated by the protagonist who is still speaking in his role from the very first scene. For the first 20-30 minutes or so (I wasn't actually counting the time so I could be way off there) I was unsure about this film but I decided to stick it out anyway as it had to be going somewhere.
Believe me, it did.
In this film, the protagonist starts off in a psychiatrist's office discussing a strange problem that he has. Every time he goes to sleep (something he frequently does due to narcolepsy) he wakes up at a different stage in his life. One day he could be 30 years old, the next he could be only 8. Or 92, or indeed any other age. He has no memory of what happened to him prior to these events and becomes increasingly stressed as he struggles to make sense of what is going on.
Nonetheless, as the film progresses he begins to pick up on certain themes and begins to understand that there is a purpose behind these strange happenings. And this, in my opinion, is where the film really starts to get interesting.
It takes a lot for me to really feel a strong emotional impact from watching a film, but this one succeeds in no short measure. The running time of this film is perhaps on the shorter side (approximately 80 minutes duration) but it certainly felt a lot longer than that, and most definitely in a good way. I'll say no more on the story lest I spoil the enjoyment thereof.
I felt like the acting was brilliant in this film, very authentic and believable all around. The apparent weirdness of the early stages is more than made up for later on in the film.
In short, if you enjoy a good mystery then watch Shuffle. I highly recommend it.
All media hosted on this website is copyright © Ben Lauritson 2006 - 2024 unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Disclaimer: Some sections of this website contain strong language and/or adult themes. By continuing to browse, you are waiving any right to be offended and waiving any liability on my part for the consequences thereof. If you are not old enough to understand this disclaimer then you are not old enough to continue browsing. Have a nice day.