The Bottom Review: Confront The Monsters Hiding Within Our Deepest Selves

REVIEW: by Peter Nichols | 5 of 5 Stars

Logline
At the edge of a mysterious lake, a reckoning between friends becomes a fight for life – as one man’s mind games threaten the other’s grip on reality.

Introduction
The Bottom is a film that, on its surface, explores a volatile confrontation between two desperate men, but holds in its depths a deeply personal, and allegorical story of manipulation, gaslighting, toxic power and the painful reckoning one must go through to break free of an abusive relationship. The Bottom is a metaphysical horror story that forces us to confront the monsters hiding in our deepest selves.

Review
There are two ways to see The Bottom; on the surface (real), and beneath it (surreal). O’Sullivan and Kautz explore the quality of the allegory. Two friends poise at either end of a loaded shotgun; a victim (John), the other abuser (Jude). John determines to end an abusive relationship with Jude. The Bottom is a work of crafted speculative fiction. So, what we are watching didn’t actually happen. Or did it? If it did occur at a point, it occurred externally or internally in the mind of John.

We see a juxtaposition of an external and internal life of John. Morgan O’Sullivan and James Kautz’s directing approach treats the narrative through the lens of an allegory. For the audience to understand, or enjoy it, they must without doubt, believe it’s happening. O’Sullivan and Kautz invite the audience generously to invest time, and emotion into the narrative. They guide us generously, as we deeply commit to the suspension of disbelief. Great directing if you ask me.

The Official Trailer for The Bottom directed by Morgan Ruaidhrí O’Sullivan and James Kautz.

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O’Sullivan and Kautz draw on literary devices, and principles of theater. The audience ignores the unreality of the fictional narrative to experience a catharsis (relief) through the actions, and experiences of the characters. They use this tool to treat the subject of manipulation, or breaking free of an abusive relationship with mental images making it feel true, fatal or real. Because, we can’t feel what people feel, even if we often say so. Their direction helps the audience empathize with the internal experience of John and Jude.

While we don’t see the bottom of the Lake, we feel a terror down there. The physical elements; location, weather, lake, time play a significant part to drive this narrative forward. The Bottom uses these natural elements as metaphor for the state of mind of our main character. These elements play on many levels in the narrative, and increment the dramatic action as the narrative progresses. They control the visual fabric of the story, performance, emotion, dialogue, cinematography, lighting and surreality. They give the story a life of its own; it is like a living breathing person, a person choking for a breath of fresh air.

As a calm water surface signifies peace, so does the mind of a person during a catharsis. I have seen The Bottom, again and again. O’Sullivan and Kautz’s aesthetic is visceral, vulnerable, and raw. The ending of The Bottom recaptures the classic cinema ending. The audience is allowed to decide if the confrontation will continue or not. It isn’t an either “this” or “that” kind of an ending. The performances are nuanced, thoughtful, and engaging; it’s breathtaking acting. Their actors choices are deeply human, very natural, and unforced. It is gratifying to watch how they plunge themselves willfully to the world of The Bottom. The actors performances generously serve the narrative of this intriguing plot.

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Conclusion
The Bottom is an impressive effort of an independent presentation. It invokes cinema, plunges inside the mind of the audience to project a definitive, yet visceral, chilling experience. O’Sullivan and Kautz co-direct expertly, doing much with a reduced space, cast, and budget. Yet, somehow managed to commit to a convincing emotional performance from the actors. As story characters commit to reduced movements, the dialogue inches the dramatic action further, crafting a compelling narrative for greater entertainment.

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Directed by: Morgan Ruaidhrí O’Sullivan and James Kautz
Written by: James Kautz

Cast
Alex Grubbs as John
James Kautz as Jude
Earl Rothfus as Old Man

Executive Producer: Joel Alexander, Nicholas Cimato, Valentina Cimino, Randa Karambelas, Lisa Lewis, Douglas Stuart McDaniel, Frederick Peters, and Anthony Sweeney
Cinematography: Tommy Agriodimas
Film Editing: Donna Madrigal
Unit Production Manager: Michael Tubman
Music: Farin Kautz
Sound: Adam Bloch
Visual Effects: Natalie A Palumbo
Camera and Electrical Department
– Second Assistant Camera: Alexis Abramo
– First Assistant Camera: Yasmeen Jawhar
– Key Grip: Ben Mannarino
– Gaffer: Michael Thompson
Colorist: Alexia Salingaros
Thanks: Jacob Krueger, Matthew Vitticore

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