Just try rooting against an emotionally wounded teen trying to save a sick child.
Hollywood is still in the grip of drug addiction.
Recent movies like "Ben Is Back" and "Beautiful Boy" tackle this topic, while Hulu's "No Exit" takes a more measured approach. A teen addict must see a threat unlike few others, all the while dealing with sobriety and personal pain.
It's a major mix, no doubt, and the mix doesn't end there for most of the time the movie goes on. One last, near-fatal twist, however, almost exudes all that narrative goodwill.
Havana Rose is Liu Darby, a troubled teen going through the rehab motions. He is shocked by the news of his mother's illness, convincing her to run away from rehab to be with him.
A Blizzard escaped short circuit, and he was forced to hang tight at a visitor center to await the storm. She soon uncovers a kidnapping plot involving one of her fellow drivers, but is she strong enough to save the child, or will the kidnapper silence her for good?
"No Exit" begins like an Agatha Christie shows her cards earlier than expected. We still get to know the key players, including an ex-Marine (Dennis Haysbert, as stable as ever), a kind-hearted nurse (Dale Dickey) and a squirrel type who seems too obvious to be the villain (David Risdahl). Is.
Add handsome Ash to the mix (Danny Ramirez), and it's clear that Darby has both suspects and people who can rally because of him.
Or will they?
The "No Exit" play takes a lot of risk by sharing a lot of inspiration mid-film, but the mechanics of the story keep our attention. Liu does the rest, basing both Darby on her efforts to save the kidnapped child. She is no hero, but she is used to dealing with adversity.
It's a soulful subtext that gives her character a depth that many heroes lack.
The setting is mainly in and around the visitor center, but that doesn't detract from the adventure. This only amplifies them, as director Damien Powers ("Killing Ground") skillfully uses limited arrangements. It's not as tight as the recent "Shut In," but cinematically speaking, it required imagination to write a feature out of such tight quarters.
Still, plot conveniences abound. And a late twist, which supercharges the threat, also crushes the sense of reality the film used to flirt with till then. It's a screenwriter's trick, the kind that barely catch on on closer examination.
Most "no exit" sounds old-fashioned in the purest sense. There are no lectures or ham-fisted stabs to tie the story to modern tropes. However, it is not an empty calorie affair. Darby's addictions are never out of mind, and the actress dutifully makes sure that's the case.
"No Exit" provides enough variety to make the current theme worth visiting.
Hi or Miss: "No Exit" asks a troubled heroine to save the day, and it's impossible to please.