As I walked out of the movie theater after watching Graham Flanagin‘s “The Machine,” I heard a fellow student remark, “what a waste of time.” I have to say, while I don’t echo that guy’s sentiments I can see where he is coming from. Instead of drawing from real-life accounts and rumors that surrounds the Machine, Flanagin decides to take the story in a more original direction. The result is a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously and suffers for it.
For those who aren’t well versed in University of Alabama campus politics, the Machine is a group of traditionally white fraternities that strongly influence campus politics. Due to the secret nature of the Machine, it is surrounded by conspiracy theories making the separation of myth from reality difficult at times. A full rundown of the Machine’s histories and rumors can be found in a controversial Wikipedia article.
Matt Scalici plays Conrad Gray, a copy editor for the university newspaper, The Crimson White. Conrad hears editor Charlie Gasner (played by Flanagin, himself) vent his frustration at the lack of information his reporters have been able to obtain at the resignation of SGA president Joe Farnhum (played by Ben Stark). Conrad assures Charlie that he will be able to get an interview from Joe and he soon discovers he may be in over his head.
Scalici actually does a good job in the role of Conrad. I found his acting to be fairly natural, but he is surrounded on all sides by the stiff acting that plagues low/no budget projects. The grand example of this being Graham’s portrayal of the editor. I realize that in projects like this, directors are sometimes force to do roles out of lack of options, but Flanagin’s performance unfortunately caused more giggles than tension.
By the end, the dialog and the characters have become so exaggerated that they no longer resemble anything close to real life, which I suppose was the intent. Graham appears before the movie assuring his audience that it is not anti-Greek, nor a realistic portrayl of UA campus politics. It’s a shame. As is, the movie feels like one big UA inside joke. I kept waiting for him to say, “get it?”
On the other hand, the film looks great. Shots are carefully framed and blocked and give the characters a sense of isolation or tension even if their dialog doesn’t. The beauty of the UA campus can be seen in shots of Moody Music Building as well as the art quad. Even the cemetery near the stadium makes its obligatory cameo.
Not a “waste of time” as suggested, the movie doesn’t, however, overcome the serious setbacks that keep it from being a significant contribution to the mythos that is “The Machine”.
Rated: NR, but probably would recieve and R for language
[rating:2]