True Love Ways [Review]

I absolutely love it when a film comes along and it just delivers swerve after swerve. You just don’t know what to expect yet, and Mathieu Seiler has delivered with the deeply atmospheric and stylish revenge thriller True Love Ways.

The film begins innocently enough with the young couple of Séverine (Anna Hausburg) and Tom (Kai Michael Müller) as they seem to be going through a rough patch in their relationship, as Séverine is torn, bored and fallen out of love with Tom. But, Séverine has a recurring dream each night regarding a mysterious man and it feels almost like an escape for her from her dull life with Tom.

And this time, the dream seems insignificant, much like a few scenes later on where Séverine is sitting alone in a park and all kinds of bizarre things are playing out in front of her, but Séverine just sits there, almost mesmerized and dream-like and this will play on your mind throughout.

So, Séverine decides that perhaps a break of sorts in their relationship may do them good, but Tom feels that this is the end and he has lost the love of his life. Soon, Tom drowns his sorrows in the bottom of a glass where he meets the rather dapper Chef (David C. Bunners). A man who appears to have the answer to Tom’s problem. How to win back his love.

It’s all an elaborate scheme, Chef fakes a scenario involving Séverine, and Tom comes in to save the day, and alas, Tom is Séverine’s night in shining armor and all is well with the world.

Sadly for Tom and Séverine, things don’t go that way. Soon we are knee-deep in a world of rape and revenge as we spiral further deeper into this stylish nightmare.

You know, I’m sorry for being overly vague in my description of the film, but I just can’t give it away as even describing some of the plot will give away the film, so the best thing you can do is hunt this one down and find out for yourself.

The film is shot in crisp black and white, and it’s just beautiful, the cinematography feels as if it has just come from the ’60s and the scored just sweetens the deal. It’s quite literally a visual orgasm. Is that too much? Either way, I think you will dig this one, not only for the way the film has been shot and edited but the acting is superb, especially Anna Hausburg and David C. Bunners, they freakin’ nail it!

And oh, Anna Hausburg is simply stunning. She just oozes elegance. Absolutely gorgeous.

Now I will say some may find the film a slow-burn, but stick with it, it will hit you for six and you will thank me for sticking around. Also, another thing I loved was most of the violence takes place off-screen, and you’re left with just the sound and your imagination and it works so well. Your mind is a dangerous place.

For me, I’m really struggling to find a negative thing about the film, and I just can’t. Sure, some of Séverine’s escape methods may be questionable, but then again it all plays out some what dream-like, so nothing is what it seems, or is it?

I applaud Mathieu Seiler for crafting such a film, it’s almost like an art-house slasher flick. It’s definitely unique and one that I will be watching numerous times. I urge you to seek this one out, especially if you want something that’ll keep you on your toes.

Look for the film on Amazon, iTunes, Vimeo, Google Play, Vudu, InDemand, and DirectTV this October 1st via Synergetic Distribution.