A struggling video editor takes on a seemingly lucrative job for a mysterious client, only to find out that the films they have her editing are snuff films. Haunted by what she sees, and unsure of what to do, her world soon begins to fall apart.
First off, it's worth pointing out that this is not a review of the John Cena/Alison Brie action comedy. No, this is a very different Freelance. It begins as a sort of love letter to video editors and their often unappreciated craft, in much the same way The Fall Guy is to stunt workers. The opening credits made using editing software is a nice touch too. And yet, at its heart this is a real mind-fuck of a movie. One that deals with some difficult subject matter, and what makes it really scary is it feels in some way possible. Thankfully however, director John Balazs and writer Michael Gerbino's approach to all this nasty stuff was to be authentic, unflinching and hard-hitting, without being excessive. Although, if you didn't worry about the internet before watching, you probably will after.
Nicole Pastor does not have an easy task heading up this rather disturbing, yet equally engaging psychological horror. But she more than rises to the challenge, delivering an impressive performance as Katie; the freelance editor chosen for a rather unenviable task. As we are introduced to this down on her luck freelancer, it becomes clear that she is refreshingly multifaceted. Far from your stereotypical horror character, she actually resembles a real person. There are even times when Katie isn't even all that likeable, but that doesn't stop Pastor from drawing us into her nightmare. Despite some bad, maybe even horrible choices, it's still easy to empathise with her. It's almost impossible not to, as we are very much along for the ride on this descent into madness, questioning what's real as Katie's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic.
Is she going crazy? Are the snuff films real? What the hell is going on with the cat? The clever pacing makes it an entertaining and somehow excruciating wait for answers, keeping us teetering on the edge of our seats as Katie desperately tries to escape the torment. But that slow burn does also come at a cost. As I said before, what makes Freelance truly scary is that it feels possible, like this could actually be happening - some of it, anyway. But that believability can make the escalation towards the end of the movie feel like a bit too much of a leap. Now you might be able to put it down to a combination of fear, trauma and possibly sleep deprivation, but it still feels like Katie acquiesces a little too easily. That and a certain predictable outcome in the finale somewhat takes the sting out of an otherwise shocking conclusion to a masterfully disturbing psychological horror.
Freelance is a terrifying and all too believable nightmare, and thanks to Nicole Pastor's brilliant lead performance you can't help but be drawn into the madness. You may also have a sudden urge to turn off the Wi-Fi.
8/10
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