Tribeca 2014: Match – Film Review

Direction: Stephen Belber
Writer: Stephen Belber
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Carla Gugino, Matthew Lillard
Runtime: 90 minutes

Film has become a medium for many individuals to share their story and their creativity. For some, its an opportunity to present something thought provoking. Playwright Stephen Belber has another crack at film directing with Match, a story based on his Tony Award winning Broadway play of the same name. What he ends up creating is perhaps one of the most powerful films of 2014.

The film follows Tobias ‘Tobi’ Powell (Sir Patrick Stewart), an aging Juilliard dance professor with a rather interesting history. Living alone in the outskirts of Manhattan, he is requested for an interview by a Seattle couple (Carla Gugino & Matthew Lillard) for a dissertation the wife is writing on the history of dance in 1960’s New York. What starts off as a fun and intimate conversation, soon takes a turn, revealing ulterior motives to the conversation at hand.

It’s always fascinating to see a writer tackle his/her own work on the direction front. It provides the audience with an opportunity to see the creators own creative thought-process and expectations, not to mention their vision of the final product. Stephen Belber has taken Match, paired it with what could be considered a dream cast, and created a film that works wonders. Belber’s direction is simple and clean, using various camera techniques to effectively capture each character in various emotional states. One thing you will definitely notice is the music choice, which adds character to the film. While he uses various camera techniques to their plenty, he ensures that the viewing experience is consistent and that our focus are the characters and their interactions. For a film that is just pure dialogue, it is pretty brilliant.

This film is all about the characters, and the performances delivered by the cast are beyond brilliant. Carla Gugino steps into the shoes of a sophisticated, refined character, slowly revealing her vulnerabilities through conversation. Her character evolves through dialogue, and as the story intensifies, so does the dialogue and the speed at which her character changes. Gugino captures that evolution brilliantly, presenting an incredibly powerful female character. Matthew Lillard is known for his lighter, more comedic roles but his performance in Match highlights just how diverse of an artist he really is. His character brings the necessary edge to the production, and Lillard delivers that through a sharp, intense performance. Both Gugino and Lillard share amazing chemistry, which allow their on-screen Seattle couple to work with the story.

Sir Patrick Stewart. Its a name that everyone recognizes, and affiliates with quality performance. He has delivered some of the best performances but his role in Match sets an all new high in the world of acting. Tobi Powell is a character with pride, history and a colourful career, and Sir Patrick illuminates this character from start to finish. Much of the character comes from the writing, but the way Sir Patrick delivers the dialogue is simply indescribable. You sit back in your chair in amazement, sharing a laugh when the character is being witty, and are almost on the verge of tearing during the more intense moments. His performance is just consistently brilliant, and deserves much recognition on the award front.

Match is a film that tackles love, relationships and respect in a manner that makes you reflect on your own life. It is a character study with a focus on three individuals, powered purely by dialogue. The performances you get to see and experience are beyond words, and by the end of the film, you can’t help but have more respect for the artists involved. Match is just brilliant and there is nothing more to say.