Hey gang, Valkor here. Normally, when I tackle a film review, sometimes the review flows out of me. Other times, it takes a moment or three to process what I saw. In either case, the length of time it takes me to do a review has no bearing on whether the score will be high or low. The score is based on whether I enjoyed the film or not. And in the case of Nathan Hill's I, Portrait – I dug it! But it did take some time to piece this one together. Spoilers ahead!
I, Portrait is an erotic thriller with a hint of the supernatural that centers on Carmen (Natalie Heslop), an artist who's married to casting director Julian (Nathan Hill–Jasper, Model Behaviour). When she paints while wearing a blindfold, Carmen conveys to Julian that she has the ability to cause the image to manifest. Julian wants to see this trick for himself. And so it begins. We don't get to see the completed piece. However, soon after it's done Carmen's childhood friend, Stephanie (Sienna Stass), pops up for a visit. And while she's in between places to stay, Carmen offers her place to Stephanie for a few days – which ends up being longer than expected. Not only that, but Stephanie has been putting the moves on Julian. Kissing him on the lips and even giving him a surprise wake-up servicing. As the film draws to a close, we learn that Stephanie's reason for pursuing Julian is that she feels the two of them ought to have been together because Carmen created an image of him for her many years ago. Only Carmen got to Julian first. The film reaches a climactic conclusion as the trio battle it out, with Stephanie drowning in defeat.
I, Portrait finishes with a prologue where Carmen, once again blindfolded, prepares to take brush-to-canvass. Only this time Julian stops her before she begins. To be honest, I wouldn't mind watching another movie that follows this same path; Not in the sense of a love triangle, perhaps. But Carmen manifests something more horrifying. For now, let's delve into the TOV Breakdown!
The Good:
I, Portrait is reminiscent of films such as Fatal Attraction, SWF (Single White Female), or even a TOV choice film – Playing House. However, with I, Portrait, it takes the erotic thriller theme and adds a supernatural twist. It's different, yet it works well! I dig how the painting is kept a secret until the very end; it forces you to think about what Carmen painted specifically and how it led to this overall predicament. The pacing is long; Some scenes stretch on longer than they should. But pushing through this one is worth it because I find the ending satisfying. The acting is decent. However, Sienna Stass is my favorite of the bunch. She does well, starting out as sweet but mad devious by the film's finale. In the end, I, Portrait is a nice slice of entertainment that's a bit rough around the edges, but it's still a thriller worth watching.
The Bad:
My main issue was the pacing; scenes such as the Carmen interview or the song showing Carmen and Julian enjoying their couple's night out stretch longer than they should. Not that it makes the film unwatchable. But it's time that could have been spent fleshing out the relationship between Stephanie and Julian (or rather her attempt at one). Between their first kiss and the sneaky BJ she gave him, more could have been done in between. Maybe Stephanie could have been more playful or persistent in her advances. I wouldn't mind seeing more of that.
The Ugly:
N/A
I, Portrait is available now on DVD and Blu-Ray. It was available on Tubi, but that's no longer the case. Regardless, is the film worth searching high and low to obtain a copy physically or digitally? Yes, I recommend taking this one for a spin! Because in the end, I enjoyed the story that was presented, even though there were parts I didn't like. So, out of TOV 5 stars, I'm giving I, Portrait a 3.5.
