Perfectly Good Moment review: “Perfectly good psychosexual thriller.”
This review is best read after watching the film as it covers important plot twists.Perfect good moment is a psychological thriller starring Stephen Carlile and Amanda Jane Stern (who also wrote the screenplay) as Ruby and David, the couple at the heart of the film’s story. The prologue, the only point in the film besides the ending where more than just the two actors are seen, shows how they met at the Business Students Alumni Mixer. The rest of the film is then spent examining their relationship, delving ever deeper into its toxicity and danger.
Act I and II
Act I of the film takes place eight years after Ruby and David separated. Despite their reconciliation, there are several signs that this idyllic reboot has resulted in a far from healthy relationship. Most blatantly, David has Ruby repeatedly say, “I need you.”
In addition, David stated that he was older than her. Later in the film we learn that he was 15 when Ruby was born and that they met when she was a sophomore at Columbia University when she was relatively young. It’s a combination that can create a power imbalance, although that doesn’t happen in every May-December romance.
Act II, set on the day of their split, confirms the viewer’s worst fears about this relationship. At one point, Ruby retrieves a wine glass that David poured for her and slaps her on the arm, telling her to let the drink rest. He then downplays the situation by saying he didn’t hit her that hard.
Then comes one of the film’s most disturbing moments when David lays out their wedding plans in a way that makes it clear that this is what he wants and not what they want. For example, he booked a venue in London where his family is and not hers without showing her. He hints that Ruby hasn’t spoken to her family for a while as he says, “They haven’t been around for a while.” [her] the way [he] “Things only get worse when he says this is also the perfect time to have a baby.
So yes, this breakup is less of a breakup and more of an escape, which the film also suggests is something Ruby has attempted before. This of course leads to the question of why Ruby would ever go back to this guy. Well, at first glance, the sad reality seems to be that many victims return to their abusers for psychological, financial, or other reasons. You can read more about that at Psychology Today.
Act III
The audience is eventually dispelled from this notion (of Ruby going back to her abuser romantically) by revealing that Ruby has various reasons for the reconciliation – revenge and getting him to finally back off. As the film progresses, we get clues as to what Ruby does for a living. When she and David first meet, she says she accepted an internship at a tech startup. He later says that she wants to quit her job developing “silly little virtual games” because they will have two children before Ruby turns 30.
Act III of Perfect good moment shows us what the film means by “augmented user experience” by taking a hard look at the realm of “augmented user experience”. black mirror. Ruby stuns David’s coffee and plugs him into this virtual reality headset like the characters do Ready, player one use. The entire first act of the film was actually a simulation, which was already indicated by two faulty photos.
Earlier, in Act Two, David catches Ruby in a lie when she says she’s overworked at work, despite being home early. Ruby says she has a doctor’s appointment with her gynecologist. In the third act, Ruby tells him that she went to the doctor, but he had an abortion. If this bothers you, you could interpret it as yet another lie as she is trying to get David to incriminate himself.
Perfectly good movie
While Perfect good moment isn’t as brutally graphic as other films and series about domestic violence and sexual assault (Bad taste has set the bar pretty high), but what it shows on screen is more than enough to be compelling. While potential viewers should keep this in mind, the film is still worth recommending.
A movie that switches genres abruptly isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and Perfect good moment handles it well. It’s also a very talkative film that could easily be adapted into a stage play, which might put some people off for an entirely different reason. However, Carlile and Stern’s performances are captivating. The film, directed by Lauren Greenhall, who made her feature film debut, was also very well done.
Perfect good moment is an independent feature film currently showing at festivals.
