Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: NEXT LIFE [Tribeca Film Festival - New York, New York]
Sometimes the most wistful films makes the best festival films. There can be a level of control or chaos depending on the director. In "Next Life" [Spotlight Narrative], writer/director Drake Doremus does in effect what "Last Christmas" (which also starred Emilia Clarke) couldn’t. Granted Henry Golding and Clarke were nicely matched (and had some great scenes) but the story didn’t quite mesh as it should. "Next Life" does it a little bit better while using a narrative device that once established is pretty cool as long as the audience goes with it. It shows two different paths of life that Ivy (Clarke) could take. Now granted both of them lean on certain concepts of a man but many good romantic films function in that way. Clarke seems like a romantic at heart and her face and smile is so luminescent on screen. It has never quite gotten its full due (likely due to the shadow of "Game Of Thrones") but here she is incandescent and lights up the screen in every scene she is in.
Her path with one paramour especially once you see the light as she sings is beautiful. However, it keys in eventually in one scene after she is left alone at a club. Her monologue coming back is both strong and very vulnerable and shows Clarke at her best. Edgar Ramirez is a good foil and an interesting choice (he actually is reminscent of actor Oliver Martinez who ironically played a role in "Unfaithful" many years back). Ramirez here adds the right edge to the other choice in Noah (Ron Farthjng). You can see Ivy's choices but also her instincts. Clarke was a producer here so likely she was able to steer her character with effective poise. One can see it with every cut back and forth to the different lives. She keeps you focused and the one thing about Clarke is you can see that joy in her smile which comes through exceptionally in her close up. This is the kind of film she is absolutely wonderful in and the story walks the right path without losing itself too much. "Next Life" is a concept film like Daniella Forever in a way and knows its course without overthinking what it might be. A-
By Tim Wassberg
