Day Night Day Night

I went in having no idea what to expect. And what I got was a weirdly agonizing film that drug me along with crazy tension in the most subtle ways. The ending comes as almost a disappointment, but after letting it sink in, it was nearly perfect.

The motivations are completely unexplained and it seems to me that while the main character is supposed to be of some sort of Muslim descent, every other person organizing this bombing is as american as they get. So I have no reason to relate to why this person has decided to be a suicide bomber and found my self pulling my hair out at her stupidity. WHY ARE YOU BRUSHING YOUR TEETH? WHY DO YOU CARE WHAT YOU WEAR? YOU'RE GOING TO BLOW YOURSELF UP, NO ONE WILL SEE YOU AFTER IT!

A very intense and gritty experience. The casting choice for the lead was excellent; the actress has the right facial expressions and body language. The movie sort of jumps right in without any back story about her motives; I wish I knew more about that.

The first half is inspiring and encouraging. However, I found the second half to be more of a miss.

"Like United 93, Day Night Day Night exploits our post-9/11 anxieties." - Ed Gonzalez

It was an alright film, but I didn't connect with it.

Loktev's film is intentionally slow going, depicting the long wait Williams' character has in the hotel room before the time comes for her to implement a terrible plan, up to and including the last time she brushes her teeth and disposes of her leftover toothpaste and mouthwash. That focus on the plodding details that lead up to heavy drama only heightens the tension of the big moments when it arrives, as does the fiercely committed performance of Williams.