Review: Show Me

Posted by: Timo Puolitaipale  •  August 19, 2005 @ 11:59am

Filed under: Reviews

Show Me is the story of the kidnapping of thirty-something yuppie Sarah (Michelle Holden) by squeegee kids Jenna (Katharine Isabelle) and Jackson (Kett Turton). Although the two squeegee kids have Sarah at a disadvantage, it is not only Sarah who is held hostage. All three of them are trapped in their current lives, and that is where they meet each other on equal ground.

Show Me, Nicolaou's first feature, is in a way reminiscent of the 'anti-glamour, artist rules' filmmaking of the revolutionary early seventies. This stems from a sensation that Show Me is Nicolaou's story, despite the odd formulaic or cliché stain of the development process. The handheld camera adds to this as it follows Sarah, Jenna and Jackson closely and intrusively, disturbing with its movement the serene surroundings that they themselves have disturbed with their actions. For a few moments, it was distracting to yet again see the overly-used video footage that's become so commonplace over the last decade, but this time it is an integral part of Sarah's story.

The film takes us on a twisting trek with surprises and intrigue around which the woven drama unfolds. This is unfortunately dragged down by a contrived nature where not all the pieces seem to fit. They've been forced in place to appease the story â€" to keep it going. Sarah's Stockholm Syndrome is sudden and too unbelievable. And once all the mess has spiralled out, it all ends so bluntly, without letting the due course of reality intrude. Perhaps we the audience are left to believe what becomes, and that is not always a bad thing. Whether or not you want to carry it out in your head, Show Me is a fresh face on a story that has been told before â€" so fresh that you should also have a taste.