Scalene [Import]

Scalene is not a movie for the faint of heart. It deals with many touchy issues including rape, murder, abuse and the effects of drug use. The story revolves around a young man named Jacob. When he was twelve, he was experimenting with his friends. His attempts at a cheap high resulted in severe brain damage which left him childish and unable to speak. His mother is dealing with this alone, and when she meets a gentlemen who displays an interest in her, she hires a college student named Paige to help with Jacob.

While this is the basic gist of the film, it was told in a way that made it quite unique. It starts out going backwards, starting with Jacob's mother coming to try to attack Paige and saying, "I want him back." From there you go backwards, seeing the events that led up the possible rape from the mother's perspective. Then there is a scene where Jacob gets burned and for a few minutes you see things though his eyes. Then it switches to Paige's point of view, and you start moving forward in time again, leading back up to the initial attack. This may sound confusing, but it actually worked well. It gives you the perspective of all the main characters, without giving away the climax to soon.

This film invoked some mixed emotions in me. On the one hand, I liked the idea. It was unique, and the little known cast were all amazing. As someone who can relate to the struggles of having a mentally handicapped family member, I understand the frustration the mother encountered. I could also relate to Paige as the young girl who suspects abuse and isn't sure how to handle it. Though, I honestly think that anything else would have been a better than than what she decided. Paige's decisions made me feel that she was the most disturbed of all the characters, and yet, this is what made the story compelling and original. Scalene is definitely a film worth watching if you want a psychological thriller that will leave you with you mouth hanging open, long after the final credit have ended.

Really enjoyed the movie. Would not have picked it out on my own (as it is not well-known) if it weren't for Amazon Prime's $0 to watch.

The mother, son, and caregiver were exceedingly well-acted ...

...and the storyline has a surprising twist that I don't want to give away.

Hopefully we'll see more of Hanna Hall, who played the caregiver Paige Alexander. She did an excellent job!
And FYI for you Justified fans, the mother was played by Margo Martindale (Mags Bennett).

The movie kept me interested throughout. I definitely recommend.

This was made to be entertaining drama. It is a traji-comedy. The comedy is driven by the character of Jacob's mother and the trajedy by her son. She brings a pleasing lightness, to the tale, by her voluable emotions. She is histrionic and wilful and a mother-hen to her chick. Yet all in deadly earnest, so she still has to be taken seriously.However she is also self-centred and devious. Or are these negative traits an outcome of wishing she didn't always have to be a mother-hen.? Whatever, the pleasing lightness does not derail the film by making it trite and the darker and sad undertones, realistically acted in Jacob's character,always invoke empathy. The care-giver was also well played.
The film was made to be moving and entertain and it delivered. Otherwise, it is not particularly sophisticated but many films aren't and it never pretended to be.