Synchronic

This melancholic, sci-fi mystery/thriller may be too slow and grounded for some, and too mind-binding and far-fetched for others – but somewhere in the middle there’s a sweet spot of viewers who will really enjoy this intelligent and original character-driven indie movie.

Premise: New Orleans paramedics Steve (Anthony Mackie) and Dennis (Jamie Dornan) encounter a number of strange deaths and injuries connected to a new legal-high, the designer drug Synchronic. But it soon becomes apparent that the drug does more than merely alter the users’ perceptions.

Review:

In many ways, Synchronic is a film that you can’t say too much about without getting into spoiler-territory, as much of the first act of the film is spent laying breadcrumbs about what’s really going on, and it’s not until the mid-point of the film where the pieces finally fall into place. In that respect, Synchronic is one of those films that’s probably more enjoyable the less you know about it in advance.

But that said, there are some things that can be discussed that probably aren’t spoilers. For one, the film’s title (a play on “synchrony” and “chronic”) and its tag line (“Time is an illusion”) both hint at some sort of time-related element to the story, and you should know going in that this is a sci-fi genre film (despite the grounded, character-drama tone of the first act). Some viewers, drawn in by the opening act’s melancholic family drama, may feel that the later sci-fi elements are a step too far, while other viewers waiting for the sci-fi aspects to kick in may find the opening section too slow and melodramatic. But really, it’s the blend of these two distinct tones and genres that makes Synchronic different from anything else out there.

“…Anthony Mackie & Jamie Dornan both bring a great deal to their roles…”

This low-budget indie film is essentially a two-hander between Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan, and they both bring a great deal to their roles. Mackie brings layers to his character, an aging lothario who’s beginning to realise how hollow his life has become, while Dornan conveys the self-loathing of a family man who knows he has everything but still isn’t happy. They’re both great individually, but it’s when they delve into the lifelong friendship between paramedics Steve and Dennis that they really shine. This is a relationship that feels fully realised and believable, a friendship full of petty squabbles and a lifelong bond. What’s said, and left unsaid, between the two of them makes the central relationship feel utterly believable.

Although this is a low-budget indie film, the limited visual effects are used to great effect when the sci-fi elements of the plot take centre stage in the second half. Directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (working from a script by Benson) do a great job of generating tension on a limited budget, and Anthony Mackie’s character’s experiences as a Black man in the southern states of America bring a very different perspective to the time-bending elements of the film.

“…arguably more of a mood-piece than a straight-up sci-fi thriller…”

Ultimately, I was left with a few niggles – I’m still not entirely sure that the sci-fi “rules” which are established later on make complete sense or were applied consistently during the film, and the ending (to me) felt a little predictable. And although I didn’t mind the slow-burn opening act, I’m sure that some of those coming for the sci-fi elements will find the opening section a slog (while others who were maybe expecting a more grounded drama based on the opening act may feel that the later developments are too far-fetched).

But despite all of that, there’s no denying that directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead have come up with an intelligent, unusual and original sci-fi thriller, that’s not really like anything else out there. Okay, so it’s maybe not quite as well-crafted as something like Rian Johnson’s 2012 masterpiece Looper, but Synchronic is arguably more of a mood-piece than a straight-up sci-fi thriller. Its unsettling and melancholic tone, the tension in its low-budget set-pieces, and the convincing friendship between the two lead characters, all make Synchronic a unique film that’s never going to be a mainstream hit, but it could find a devoted audience among the right genre fans.