Don't listen to the negative reviews

Boring

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

David Oyelowo is a underrated and under-appreciated actor, and he fully commits to this movie in his role which is good.But the movie itself is not as good, it tries to have sort of a mystery feel to it but everything is pretty obvious straight from the gate.I'm not gonna spoil it but it's one of those movies where most of the running time only one person is in the scene, so if you are not into those kind of movies this movie is not for you.Me personally I find those movies to be hits or misses, but overall I can't say I'm a big fan and I didn't know it was gonna be one of those movies when I went into it.For me it fails because I don't find the character all that interesting nor do I care much about what his personal fate will be and there's hardly any character-development either (or plot development for that matter). But it's more meant as a up and close character study I suppose, it's just not a character that I personally think was worth studying.

Executive produced by Brad Pitt and distributed by HBO. The film partially inspired by the real event. The British actor David Oyelowo stars in this one man show. Nominated for the Emmy Awards, but he has won the Critics Choice Television Awards for his brilliant performance. That mean Critics loved it, but what movie fanatics say is yet to know. Along, the movie's fate (not commercially) will be decided by the common people who follow either critics or film fanatics or the both.So it begins when an ex soldier, Peter wanted to invite his fellow buddy, Edward from the army for a dinner. Just for one evening, but his mother and Ed's wife are the obstacle. It is a big deal for Peter and he's very obsessed with it, because they haven't met since 18 years. It looks silly, but the story progression is to tell how serious it could get. Drags until the final minute, develops the story in every possible fresh angle, but still revolves around the same theme. Not that hard to predict, but how it all ends remains our intense lookout.The presentation is very deceiving. You would see everything and believe it instantly, but you won't hear everything you see. I am talking about the phone calls that you can't hear the conversation from the other side of the line. That is where the doubts arise, because there's no confirmation of anything. You probably think there might be a hidden message or something and you want to decode it. It might confuse you what I'm babbling, but you will realise while you begin to watch it."I see now that my whole life has pointed to this moment."So, if you have not seen it yet, my small suggestion is there are layers, especially the screenplay. They are not quite in order, but when Peter connects with other people, mostly with phone calls it also reveals his mental health condition. Excluding the beginning, when later part proceeds that discloses he trapped himself inside the house. Only the next half where the movie somewhat gives a glimpse of the surrounding exterior.It seems like Peter is blogging and revealing his present situation for millions of people online. Frankly, I never get those parts. But todays people are hooked to the internet, expects opinions from the strangers about their personal lives. When the film reaches the halfway mark, by then somewhat you come to know about the Peter and what is his motive, but mystery remains as we don't know the people he keeps in touch with.This psychological-drama was shot in a single location with the character Peter almost in every frame. Finely written screenplay by a newcomer and helmed by the 'Blitz' director. The movie was 80 minutes long, uses all the opportunities to fill the loopholes, but still few remains. Better to call it unsettled plot rather to label them as the flaws. Very original and so distinctive, one of this year's rare and special movie, but not a spectacular. And my final words, the less you learn, the more you are going to enjoy the film and you would hardly miss any important stuff.7/10

First off, without a doubt, the star and really, ONLY actor, David Oyelowo is terrific. He carries this film. Well, I guess he's HAVE to being he's really the only one in it, but his downward spiral into total madness is done amazingly well.What I did not like was the misleading (in my opinion) storyline synopsis. The dialogue touches on Peter (the main character) being in the Army which is the reason and the means in which he met the man coming to visit. Nothing is implied he was ever in combat or even left the States. I was expecting a compelling drama about a man coping with the scars left on him from the horrors of war and his need to overcome them.Here's the potential spoiler: He is obviously gay, met a man in the army and fell in love. They are blocked from seeing each other and that, coupled with the absolute control his mother has over him causes him to unravel. I didn't say EVERYTHING, but I think I summed up the movie far better than what we're handed, which is a half truth and THAT bothers the hell out of me.Mr. Oyelowo does a magnificent job and the photography has just enough of a claustrophobic feel that the movie is fascinating. Why lie about the subject matter, or tell only a fraction of the truth. I'm not sure I get it, but then again, maybe I'm not supposed to.It's a good movie and I may have felt it was a GREAT movie if I didn't walk into it on a false premise. Then again, maybe I still wouldn't think it was THAT great, but I would have appreciated it more.

I just saw this new film, which I "think" is an HBO original, off HBO GO over the weekend, and despite some good reviews, I just was not terribly impressed. David Oyelowo, who just portrayed Martin Luther King, Jr., in last year's "Selma", stars as a lonely war veteran who psychologically unravels ahead of an old friend's impending visit. This is a real downer of a film. That in and of itself is not a deal breaker for me, but this is one of those "One Man Show" movies that really bug me. I think it's because they just seem so staged-?? Oyelowo is good in the role, no doubt about that, but watching 80 minutes of this was practically tantamount to torture! LOL For me, a good instance of taking a one man show, and converting it into film was Chazz Palminteri's wonderful "A Bronx Tale", which the film version was directed by Robert DeNiro, and Palminteri had a key supporting role. You take the one man show, and you expand upon it to make it more "cinematic"... I would say check out THAT film instead if you haven't seen it already...