2:37 (DVD Review)
15 Jul, 2010 By: Alexandra HammarthMPI/IFC
Drama
$24.98 DVD
Not rated.
Six teens’ lives are about to change on what appears to be an average day in an Australian high school. As the clock strikes 2:37, an unexpected tragedy occurs, and before anyone can figure out who is responsible, the clock winds back to tell the story of how it all started.
With all the makings for typical high-school stereotypes, the main characters include an athlete, an overachiever, a rebel, a popular girl and a geek. With each story narrated individually, their arcs begin to unravel secrets that not only shock, but tie in to the plot in a crucial way.
From multiple perspectives, the documentary-style interludes allow for the characters to voice their inner thoughts, dreams and opinions that they wouldn’t otherwise share to the public. A lot is hidden from the common eye, which is why the more secrets that are revealed, the more thrilling the plot becomes.
Melody (Teresa Palmer from December Boys), a shy but kind girl, is perhaps the most mysterious in the bunch. Living in the shadow of her brother Marcus (Frank Sweet), she struggles to live up to him academically and socially. However, it is her secret that provides the most chilling twist to the film.
Beyond all the childish gossip and bullying, 2:37 goes in depth with these characters, exposing their innermost conflicts. With a confident jock (Sam Harris) whose life isn’t so perfect, or a closeted boy (Joel Mackenzie) who finds solace in rebellion, the drama that permeates each scene somehow reaches out with a heartfelt connection between the characters.
2:37 is a suspenseful mystery-drama that keeps you guessing right up until the end, when, of course, there is a twist to throw the suspicion all out of whack.