[Movie Review] - Daniel Isn't Real

"Daniel Isn't Real" (2019)
Directed by Adam Egypt Mortimer
Not Rated; Mature Audiences Suggested
Runtime 96 Minutes

Where to watch:
Now streaming on Shudder.com

Trigger warnings:
domestic abuse, extreme gun violence, divorce, depression, anxiety, body horror, divorce, medication abuse/overdose, mental illness, body horror, toxic masculinity, relationship abuse, sexual abuse, hallucinations

Epilepsy/Photosensitivity Warning for flashing lights and imagery.

If the beloved early 90s film Drop Dead Fred could drop Acid, Molly and a line of cocaine, it would look a lot like Daniel Isn't Real, a ruthless psychological horror-thriller rife with frantic energy and hallucinatory visuals. That is all I'll dare to say about its contents, because the less you know going into this film, the better off you are. I highly recommend avoiding as many synopsis or spoiler filled reviews as you possibly can. The real joy of this movie comes from the dark, ominous story unfolding before your eyes as you stare on in disbelief at each perilous new plot point. Clocking in at just over 90 minutes, this movie's pace is "warp speed go!" as you plummet into a dark, twisted spiral of psychological torture.

The film's overall premise is dark, touching upon the dangerous, real-life themes of mental illness as well as culturally relevant topics like toxic masculinity. As foreboding and miserable as that all sounds, the movie also manages to be very clever and witty, providing much needed relief to the onslaught of brutal visuals and heavy topics. The dialogue is well-crafted, emotional, and intelligent, and conversations between Luke and Daniel are a delight. Just like Luke, the audience struggles to discern whether the people, places or things he experiences are real, imagined, or supernatural.

The visual effects and cinematography are wonderful here. The use of contrast in lighting is particularly fascinating, serving to highlight the light versus dark, evil versus good, reality versus dreamworld dynamics. The use of color is particularly interesting, and you'll do well to notice the tone shift from setting to setting, because it truly highlights and builds a strong mood in each scene. The camera work is tense and claustrophobic in some instances, and in others frames the action as if it were a scene block on a comic book page. The special effects are pretty well-done, if a tinge over the top in some cases, but it just adds to the hazy nightmarish quality of the story's energy.

The cast is phenomenal as well. Every character from bit part to main cast are all fully fleshed out into utterly engaging, sympathetic, ruthlessly brutal people. They are fully committed to their roles for some believable performances that suck you into the screen. Their talents are noteworthy and their passion for their craft truly brings these multidimensional characters to life.

There is a fair amount of violent content in this film, however, so sensitive viewers should be wary. The opening sequence contains a horrific amount of blood, death, and gun violence among other things. There are multiple scenes of self injury, suicide attempt, violence towards women, domestic disputes, substance abuse, and intense sexual content. Those who have photosensitivity or conditions such as epilepsy should be forewarned as well; the movie contains a lot of flashing, strobing lights, intense flashing imagery sequences, spinning camera angles, and similar effects.

Overall, Daniel Isn't Real is a chaotic yet thoughtful movie with so much allegory to unwrap and unpack, all of it tied up in a nice neat bow with truly creative and effective storytelling. I highly recommend adding this to your streaming queue.

Bonus:
If you're like me, and you can't get enough of these characters and their nightmare world, you may also want to pick up the original novel on which the movie was based called In This Way I Was Saved by the Brian DeLeeuw, who also served as co-author of the movie's script. It was immediately added to my TBR list!

By Ellen Avigliano
Twitter: @imaginariumcs
Instagram: @imaginariumarts and @thejackalopes.warren