“Samson” - Film Review
People will do anything for their dogs. It’s why we have four John Wick movies and why people throw quinceañeras for their chihuahuas. While not initially the focus of Ruth Du’s Samson, it eventually becomes clear that the film, both in name and in motivating force, exists because of an adorable rescue pup. The way Samson reveals its cards is half the fun of this twisty, dark comedy. Du describes her work as “relationship-based stories with a genre twist,” and Samson is no different. While at times the film gets away from itself, Samson is still a charming screwball comedy with a dark underbelly.
courtesy of the film
Emma (Alice Lee) and Dale (Ryan Dance) are in the middle of a break-up. They’ve decided to meet at a diner to hash things out one last time, but they aren’t on the same page. Emma sees no future in this relationship, but Dale is clinging to it for dear life. He believes that Emma needs someone to care for her and he’s just the guy to do it. Finally, letting the frustration of the conversation get the best of her, Emma runs out of the diner and into the arms of kidnappers (Will Brittain & Emilio Garcia-Sanchez) who throw both Emma and Dale, who followed behind, into the trunk. Now the exes have to find a way to work together if they want to stay alive.
Samson wastes no time getting to the action. We see the tail-end of the exes’ conversation before the energy is kicked up to 100. Then Samson takes us back in time to show the full conversation between Emma and Dale and the circumstances that brought the kidnappers, Drew and Joe, to this diner. It immediately becomes obvious that Drew and Joe are not the seasoned professionals they first seem to be and their silly antics are endearingly foolish. When Emma and Dale make it out of the trunk, though, the air is sucked out of the room and suddenly, Samson is a very different film.
courtesy of the film
The beginning of Samson does a great job balancing its varied tones of comedy and drama. The script (written by Du and David Harry Yoon) relishes in the absurdity of relationships, both romantic and friendly to create a compelling first act. As the second act turns into the third, the film no longer feels like it has a grasp of what it’s going for. There’s a musical scene that isn’t entirely earned, but could have worked if it was a full-blown choreographed number instead of Emma singing a ballad by herself.
Samson is an oddball movie. One that is full of twists and turns while still managing to get at some of the most interesting questions in relationships. Even if all of the wrinkles aren’t ironed out, Samson is a creative exploration of toxic relationships and the ways we can free ourselves for a better life.
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