Asylum Seekers and Delight: A Movie Review

*full disclosure: a screener of this film was provided by Breaking Glass Pictures.

Director: Rania Ajami.

Writers: Rania Ajami and Jake Pilikian.

The Asylum Seekers is a surreal comedy from director Rania Ajami. This is her first feature and this title is an offbeat look at the possibilities of insanity. Breaking Glass Pictures will release this title on DVD August 30th and Asylum Seekers is a high recommend, based on the interesting atmosphere created by Ajami and cinematographer Lyn Moncrief. Almost every scene is highly saturated, but it is the characters and the message which stand out the most.

There are six supposed lunatics moving into the local asylum. However, there is only one bed available. So the "evangelical nihilist," the "trophy mouse wife," the "gender bender refuge," and many more characters must battle it out to prove that they are more insane than the next. If this sounds strange, that is because it is. To highlight the bizarre, sets have austere backgrounds with bright colours mixed in.The result is a visual delight, with the costumes and lighting intensifying the bizarre experience.

The Beard is the overseer of the asylum and "he sees everything." Yet, he is rarely onscreen. Instead, Nurse Milly (Judith Hawking) puts the six entries through the rigamarole. There are stage perfomances, with each character enacting their neuroses. There are character bending drug trips and there are mind control techniques, which involve wearing animal masks. The central plot is hard to breakdown, because there is so much going on here. However, the film seems to be poking fun at modern culture and some of the stereotypes therein.

Ajami also seems to be attempting to deliver a message of romance and intimacy in the final few frames. Characters Maud (Pepper Binkley) and Dr. Raby (Daniel Irizarry) are separated from the rest of their motley crew. As well, these two seem to help each other with their internal complications. The final scenes show that it is the would-be patients who know the best treatments for their ailments. This message of insight or understanding brightens the film's delivery. As an aside, if this is not enough to lighten the film for you, then the dancing nurse through credits will tip you over the edge (into laughter).

The Asylum Seekers is a black comedy with many interesting features e.g. bright visuals, entertaining comic scenes. There is a twist or two near the end of the feature and this reviewer has no trouble recommending this film to others. Let Ajami take you on an Alice in Wonderland type ride, which will perplex and entertain you, as it did this film fan.

Writing/story/plot: 7.75 (there is a central plot, but the sidetracks are the most intersting parts of the film).
Characters/believability: 7.5 (the characters are dramatized for effect).

Overall: 7.6 (excellent).

A second review of this film at Quiet Earth:

Asylum Seekers Reviewed at Quiet Earth

Asylum Seekers at Breaking Glass Pictures (distributors):

Asylum Seekers at Breaking Glass Pictures

This title is highly recommended for those liking the offbeat, off center etc.:



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