Rapid Review: Green Room (2016)

“We’re not keeping you here, you’re just staying.”
– Gabe

SYNOPSIS: A punk rock band is forced to fight for survival after witnessing a murder at a neo-Nazi skinhead bar. – via IMDB

After Saulnier’s debut Blue Ruin (which I loved), I was interested to see what else the writer and director would give us. Needless to say, I was quite excited to hear about his upcoming film, Green Room, especially seeing how it featured Sir Patrick Stewart and Anton Yelchin (RIP), both actors of whom I am rather fond. I found Green Room to be an intense watch, something that took a little while to get going, but was never boring, and when it finally caught into the main story, went barreling ahead with a ton of violence and an impossible situation. I enjoyed it, I really did, and found a lot to like about it. I thought that everyone did a pretty good job with what they were given, and the pacing certainly ratcheted up the tension. I was pleased to see Macon Blair returning alongside Saulnier, and was quite impressed with how incredibly gruesome things were at times (that hand, that belly!!!), and think that it was done well. My husband used to play in a band, so I know what it is to trip out all over the show, borrow money, get paid like crap, and roll into venues that you would rather not be at. However, I can at least happily say there was never a neo-Nazi gig, and just watching the crowd, the venue, the setting, got under my skin, because I really could take a few minutes and see this becoming someone’s terrible reality. The violence is never really extreme or over the top (or I am truly, horribly desensitised to that), but it was used effectively, where it lands its blows hard and fast. Saulnier, of course, made sure that the movie was really nice to look at, too, which is always appreciated. I found Green Room to be engaging from the outset, and something I would highly recommend. I don’t want to say too much in fear of spoilers, so try not to read too much on this. The less you know, the better. I had a really rudimentary idea of what this was, and I was so pleased to know so little.