The Swerve (2018)

Directed by: Dean Kapsalis | 91 minutes | drama, thriller, horror | Actors: Azura Skye, Bryce Pinkham, Ashley Bell, Zach Rand, Taen Phillips, Liam Seib, Deborah Hedwall, Dan Daily, Jason Gupton, Lindsay Jackson, Kristine Sorenson, Jenna Marie Hess, Gretchen Portelles, Chadwick Davilsaint, Maikel Ramic, Josh England , Stevie Holcomb

In the captivating ‘The Swerve’ we see a lead actress, Holly (perfectly portrayed by the hypnotic Azura Skye), on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The horror that normal everyday life can be multiplied by three.

Holly seems to have it all together: a nice house, two kids, a job as a teacher and a man who is -finally- making his way up the ranks of the supermarket business. But is everything okay? Because we’re seeing some disturbing things. She can hardly sleep and is therefore addicted to sleeping medication. She also sometimes ‘just’ wants to drive a bit late at night when she can’t sleep. And then there’s that damn mouse and the wound on her finger as a result. Holly seems to be drifting further and further into a psychological breakdown. If only her surroundings would really see her…

Director Dean Kapsalis chose not to frame the collapse of such a normal woman with grand gestures. It’s drama, it’s intense, but we really see the inner struggle of a woman walking along the edge of the abyss. When does the cord snap?

With a man who comes home very late a little too often. With two children who are not to enjoy. With a sister who struggles with an addiction history. With a student who is going to like her a little too much, but who is the only one who knows how to value her. How do you escape the boring, decent, ordinary? The social isolation? By baking another apple pie? Maybe, but one with special ingredients.

As mentioned, ‘The Swerve’ is an intensely moving drama. How a mouse and a fateful dodge on a deserted highway drive a woman more and more into madness and delusions (?). She bravely tries to get through it, to stay upright, but everything shows that she no longer has the strength and confidence. Her fate is inescapable, there is no escape from it. Not a happy film, but one that tells the truth. That may look a little less pleasant, so be it. ‘The Swerve’ is eye-catching and overwhelmingly intimate. A subtle melt down. With Holly, Azura Skye undeniably puts herself on the film map, because she carries this film on her slender shoulders. Honest and open, what more could we ask for?