Title: Monochrome
MPAA Rating: NR
Director: Thomas Lawes
Starring: Cosmo Jarvis, Jo Woodcock, Donna Berlin
Running time: 1h 53 mins
What It Is: On the run from the police, Emma Rose (Woodcock) seeks solace in the homes of wealthy land-owners. Their mistreatment for her soon turns fatal as Emma finds herself on a murderous path, and continues her fleeing. With the help of a young mind, the British Crime Agency employs detective Gabriel Lenard (Jarvis), who must use his neurological condition to stop the countryside killer from murdering again.

What We Think: As rare as this film was about implementing an introverted man with his medical condition, using such prowess for detective work is nothing new. This take on using synesthesia for tracking down a criminal was interesting to see, and yet not much of it was explained or implemented in the film. This idea would have been great to exploit further into what synesthesia is had it not been for another breakthrough in the film: a woman serial killer. While I doubt any gender enjoys being depicted as a murderer, to have a woman take the main role of any film is still an achievement in itself. In this day in age it shouldn’t have to be an accomplishment, but a standard when writing movies. Quite frankly I’m sick of seeing men everywhere on every screen dominating everything. Woodcock’s performance alone would have been enough to make a strong story of a misunderstood woman doing whatever it takes to survive.

Our Grade: B+, Done correctly, this film had the potential to intertwine the two stories of the main characters beautifully, but it didn’t. Instead, the light shined brightest on Woodcock and her intrepid acting. Emma Rose could have single-handedly defeated the entire human race in an effort to reach safety from the authorities and I would still be applauding her relentlessly.