The Brillant Monster will make you question how far you are willing to go for success
There is a monster that lurks inside everyone and director Rabbath knows just how to bring it on the screen. The 'Brillant Monster' makes you question how far a man will go in order to satisfy his thirst for success. Written by Adam Bertocci and Rabbath, the movie begins by questioning everything we assume to be the reality. With headlines like, "Steve Jobs was a monster in real life, ex-girlfriend claims" and " Was Hitchcock a psycho?" appearing on your screen, you start to question "what if?".
Acting as a mirror for the audience, the opening scene explains to us just what one can expect from the movie. The film starts by introducing the main character, Mitch Stockridge (Dennis Friebe), driving silently towards an unknown location where he is greeted by his driver. Even though the two refrain from talking, a lot is said in what the characters choose to wear. With rubber gloves on one hand and a lab coat to cover the casual wear, the viewers are made aware that there is a lot more to Mitch than what meets the eye. The scene is quickly moved to the police station where we see Sophie (Aléa Figueroa), who is Mitch's girlfriend sitting in front of the detectives to narrate her story.
Sophie is adamant on bringing Mitch's monstrosity to light and it is hard to get anyone to take her seriously – except for detective Abby Dunn (Joy Kigin) - when this story looks like a page taken out of a children's book. The symbolism here is quite captivating, as this story of a monster is every bit the story of Mitch – whose past is what makes him who he is.
We get to see the truth behind the relationship between Mitch and his father (Bill Kelly). The strained relationship between the father and son shows Mitch waiting for approval by others, one he could not receive from him. The film shows us how success can be a drug for a man who uses it to satisfy his inner void of self-satisfaction and how one would not hesitate to make the greatest sacrifice in order to barter fame with relationships. As the movie ends we see that there is no end to one's greed for fame and success and how they are able to live on because of anger or space that one wants to fill within themselves.
When it comes to our heroes, it sure is hard to believe and acknowledge their demons, even when they are brought to light. This movie very specifically shows how being famous helps one to cover tracks in ways people cannot imagine. This story is about Abby, the David who sets out on a quest to uncover the true identity of Mitch, the proverbial Goliath, who is beloved by his readers for his self-help books.
The cinematography used in the picture shows us the world through the eyes of the character. The viewers get an insight into Mitch's childhood as the camera pans out showing young Mitch (Gleb Krotov) progression in what a man would normally refer to as a monster. The movie also uses the classic color scheme pattern of differentiating the good from bad. Throughout the movie, there are various incidents where we see the good and the bad side of Mitch.
Like the golden rule, the good is represented by light and bright colors such as white, while the evil or the bad is represented using a darker color like grey or green. Another key instrument in the movie is the use of sound effects. During many scenes, the characters do not have dialogues but the sound effects used in the movie allow you to stay attentive and foresee what could one expect in the upcoming scene. It is almost like the sound keeps one on their toes all the time.
Screenwriters Adam and Rabbath have also done a marvelous job in foreshowing what is to come with the help of the dialogues that have been used in the film. Adam and Rabbath managed to wrap the whole movie with the subtle hints they left in the dialogues without being explicit about it. This specifically showcases the brilliance of the writers.
'The Brillant Monster' makes you question how a man wears several different masks in their lifetime and the only way possible to see the man behind it is if they choose to let you see it. The movie stands true to its dialogue, "Real sacrifice for true success". It shows the extent success will drag one and how there is no turning back. Dennis has done a brilliant job in showcasing the persona of an everyday man who gets blinded by fame. Meanwhile, Adam and Rabbath proved that a simple emotion or a feeling has the power to destroy one's life.
