Cuckoo

Sometimes movies get lost because they try to do too much, and “Cuckoo” is a prime example. It kicks off with a bang—great ideas, solid atmosphere—but the more it tries to juggle every moving part, the more it starts losing its edge.

The concept behind “Cuckoo” is pretty intriguing. But it’s the kind of movie where if you miss even one piece, it can quickly swerve into nonsense. (I figured that out after chatting with others who saw it.) Still, I don’t hold that against it. What I do think would’ve helped is if they had kept the “monster” more in the shadows. The movie’s real strength was its use of sound—it was creepy in all the right ways. They could’ve cranked that up to an 11 and left us quaking.

Tilman Singer, fresh out of film school, delivers his first post-grad flick with some serious confidence. I have no doubt we’ll see more from him—not just because of this movie, but because I got to hear him during the Q&A after. The guy gets what makes films like this tick.

Aside from the whole eerie vibe, what really grabbed me was Hunter Schafer’s performance. She brings this crazy mix of fun, drama, and fearless attitude to her character, something we haven’t really seen her tackle before—and she nails it effortlessly.

Now, Dan Stevens… listen, Dan, I’ve never met you in person, but if what they say about you being a super nice guy is true, then you’ve got to be one of the best actors out there. Why? Because the way you keep playing these “nice guy” characters who turn out to be creepy, sociopathic nightmares is next level. Seriously, it’s McAvoy-level stuff.

The movie gave me big-time “Twin Peaks” vibes, and I’ve gotta give props to Neon for letting Singer bring back his team from his student film “Luz”—cinematographer Paul Faltz and composer Simon Waskow. These guys, with almost no experience beyond their student project, crushed it. The visuals and sound were two of the best parts of the movie.

That said, I wish the film had done less. There’s so much raw talent here, and if they’d focused it all on the main storyline, it could’ve been incredible. But hey, I still love that even the title “Cuckoo” is a huge clue to what’s happening. At the end of the day, I’ll always prefer a flawed movie that takes risks over one that just rehashes what’s been done before.