Review of The Beta Test
midlandsmovies • October 11, 2021
The Beta Test (2021) Dir. Jim Cummings
Blue Finch Film Releasing presents The Beta Test in cinemas 15 October
With indie successes Thunder Road and The Wolf of Snow Hollow under his belt, director Jim Cummings returns with his new film The Beta Test that takes a look at technology and relationships in the 21st century.
We open with a shocking scene of domestic violence and the breakdown of a relationship before being introduced to a married Hollywood agent who stumbles through his job trying to bring in new business.
After a mysterious letter arrives, he’s surprised to find an invite to an anonymous sexual liaison in a hotel which he dismisses but as his relationship flounders he becomes more intrigued with this indecent proposal.
As his previous films, Cummings both stars and directs and his persona is part David Brent and part Larry David as he finds himself in awkward situations – sometimes owing to his own bad decisions – that spiral further out of control.
The chaotic performances (and some familiar themes) from Thunder Road (a funeral) and The Wolf of Snow Hollow (alcohol abuse/tee-totaller) carry over, making the film a natural progression of his work.
Unfortunately, that does have the slight effect of having seen this type of performance a number of times before. Although the mystery of the story evolves well, I couldn’t help but feel that the director may be close to “coasting” with his whirlwind/breakdown central character being repeated once more.
However, Cummings is a likeable presence and after he takes up the offer of the secret (and blindfolded) tryst, the married man investigates who both the woman could be as well as the person who set this up. His big Jim energy is utilised to great comedic effect as he digs into this enigma but also digs himself deep into trouble along the way.
Yet, this whirlwind of events keep the themes of façades and image to the forefront. He pretends to be a good fiancé as well as a cop and a detective whilst attempting to cover his tracks and lying to his partner and friends.
One of the most mysterious aspects of the film though is the dip in cinematography from the director’s previous works. It may be possibly owing to pandemic limitations but the image here is as flat as a pancake. Shots filmed in a restaurant look like a cross between docu-soap The Only Way Is Essex and those channels in a hotel room that is about the hotel itself.
Visuals aside though, we mostly get another winner from Cummings and the great orchestral pieces add some gravitas making the audio far superior to visual. And Cummings may be the best actor working right now for breakdown scenes and the outpouring of his shameful acts hit a powerful punch.
Tackling anonymous sex and modern relationships in a changing technological world, Cummings’ manic energy culminates in a crescendo that hops-genres successfully from comedy to erotic thriller via an almost serial-killer ending.
The Beta Test ends as an intriguing mix of Cummings’ comedy comings and goings which helps solidify an ambitious indie mystery feature where digital data and dating cross paths into a climatic whodunit.
★★★★
Michael Sales
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