CARDINALS DISC D: Grayson Moore, Aidan Shipley. Canada, 84 min. Sep 8, 9:30 pm, Scotiabank 13 Sep 9, noon, TIFF Bell Lightbox 4 Sep 17, 10 am, AGO. Rating: NN
Despite an arresting first shot, this debut feature epitomizes Canadian cinema at its most frustrating: great performances in a slim script, only adequately brought to the screen.
Valerie (Sheila McCarthy) returns home to her two daughters (Katie Boland and promising newcomer Grace Golwicki) after serving three years in prison for drunk driving. Turns out she wasn’t drunk at all.
McCarthy is terrific, especially in her silent moments, and Noah Reid does a scary slow burn as her victim’s son. But the story’s paper thin, key information is leaked at all the wrong moments and the pacing is weird – hey, it shouldn’t take 10 seconds to close the trunk and get to a front door.