Movie Review: ‘I, Portrait’ – Intersections of Art, Destiny, and Friendship.

If you had the power to predict what happens through your art, what would you do with that power? Well, even if it’s not a power you can actually control? Writer and director Nathan Hill explores this intriguing premise in his feature-length thriller, “I, Portrait“.

The film tells a gripping story about a newly married couple who receives an unexpected visit from an old friend with ulterior motives to end their relationship.

The film centres on talent agent Julian (played by Nathan Hill) and his newly wedded wife, award-winning artist Carmen (played by Natalie Heslop). Carmen recounts how, when she was younger, everything she painted would come true. She would blindfold herself and paint, and whatever she painted would end up manifesting in reality. Encouraged by Julian, who is fascinated by her unique gift, Carmen decides to revisit this and give it a try again.

Their peaceful life takes an interesting turn when Stephanie (played by Sienna Stass), an old friend of Carmen, shows up unexpectedly at their home. As the two friends catch up on their past, Stephanie sets her sinister plan to come between the couple into motion. She has her eyes set on Julian and does everything she can to ruin their happy life.

When Stephanie first shows up at the couple’s home, the initial impression is that the two are very close friends. We learn that they even used to pretend to be sisters. The way they almost immediately reconnect and start catching up feels as though they haven’t been out of touch for long. This close bond makes it easier for Carmen to suggest that Stephanie stay with them for a bit longer.

Almost immediately, we see Stephanie trying to put the moves on Julian. This quickly reveals the film’s plot, a vengeful and deceptive friend who is after her longtime best friend’s happiness. This narrative is carried through the film with some strange occurrences and a series of dreams that Carmen has, adding layers of mystery and suspense.

As the film progresses, it becomes clear that there is more to Stephanie than meets the eye. She has a past and a secret agenda that seems to keep the audience engaged and interested in the outcome of this story.

Nathan Hill, besides writing, directing, and producing this film, also stars as Julian. He delivers an okay performance considering his multiple responsibilities in the making of this film.

Natalie Heslop and Sienna Stass are the two main acting talents that drive the narrative forward. They both manage to pull off decent enough performances with their respective characters showing a myriad of emotions. Throughout the narrative, we are teased with Carmen‘s new painting, but we never get to see it until it is revealed towards the end of the film. This feeds into the subplot of Carmen being able to predict the future through her art.

However, the film has a few scenes that seem to drag on for much longer than necessary. One particular scene where Carmen is being interviewed feels excessively lengthy and doesn’t contribute significantly to the story, serving mostly to detail Carmen‘s background, upbringing, and career as an artist. There is also a lengthy musical performance scene that appears to serve no actual purpose other than to extend the runtime of the film. This makes it about 80 mins runtime feel considerably too long than usual.

Perhaps the real challenge for Hill was keeping the narrative engaging enough to justify the feature-length format. The plot is straightforward and to the point, but it could have benefited from some creative embellishments to sustain the narrative without dragging on until the third act.

Visually and stylistically, the film has the typical TV movie look and feel, not just in how it looks but also in how it sounds and how the narrative progresses. Additionally, the imposing score, with its strings and horns, often overwhelms the ambient sounds and dialogue, making it difficult to hear the actual conversations between characters.

I would score this film 5/10. “I, Portrait” tells an okay story about friendship, trust, and vengeance. While it may not be the most polished production, it handles a familiar story in a somewhat unique way. Despite its flaws, the film offers an intriguing look at the intersections of art, destiny, and human relationships.