FACES IN THE CROWD

US, 2011, 103 minutes, Colour.
Milla Jovovich, Julian Mc Mahon, David Atrakchi, Michael Shanks, Marianne Faithfull.
Directed by Julien Magnat.

Faces in the Crowd is a psychological thriller. Milla Jovovich appears as a very competent primary school teacher, meeting with her friends, going home and accidentally witnessing a serial killer at work. As she is pursued, she falls from a bridge, hitting her head, waking up after coma in hospital and finding that she has a condition whereby she cannot recognise faces, the features of which change as she watches, but can recognise other aspects of people and situations.

Milla Jovovich, best known for her roles in the Resident Evil series, is attractive in the central role. A more hefty Julian McMahon? portrays the police inspector. David Atrakchi is his assistant – with a secret. There is a surprise performance by Marianne Faithfull as a psychiatrist.

The film builds up its tension, the teacher finding that she cannot recognise even the man that she lives with, is suspicious of him, finds ways of pretending that she recognises him while she depends on ties and the tying of knots... She is pressurised by the police sergeant.

She relies on her friends for their help – but one of these is also murdered.

The film shows the focus on the serial killer, the profiling, the pursuit, the detection – until it is revealed that it is the associate inspector, the profiler, who is the murderer.

The film uses interesting devices, filmically, to show the teacher’s condition, the changing faces, the mistaken identities, the threats, the suspicions.

1. An interesting serial killer thriller? The focus on the killer and his crimes? The focus on the victim? Detection?

2. The title, the reference to Anna’s situation, inability to recognise faces, the consequences? The fact that the killer could be in the crowd – and was?

3. The American city settings, apartments, schools, police precincts? The streets, the bridges and the river? The musical score?

4. The initial information about the serial killer, brutality, victims? Sam and his work in handling the case? The assistance of Lanyon?

5. Anna, with Francine and Nina? Their night out, the girl talk, relationships? The attraction of men at the bar? Francine and Nina and hits and misses? Anna and her going home, walking, the bridge, seeing the murderer? The pursuit, her fall? The injury?

6. Anna, her condition, unable to recognise faces? The way that the director handled the situation - the variety of actors portraying Bryce, Lanyon? The range of faces? Ordinary people and not recognising them? People’s reactions? Criticisms? Puzzles?

7. Anna, her fears? With Bryce? Her becoming suspicious? His behaviour? Checking on him through his ties? Making mistakes? The killer assuming Bryce’s identity?

8. Sam, his manner, pressure on Anna? The investigation, the profiling, the profiler with the young boy? Making no headway? Sam and the visiting of scenes of the crime? Anna on the bridge? Reconstruction? His feelings for Anna – and ultimately romance? (As expected?)

9. Anna, relying on her friends, the death of Nina?

10. The build-up to the climax, at the bar, the mistaken identity, the threats? The struggle with the murderer? The arrival of Sam? The revelation of the truth?

11. Satisfying ingredients for a popular kind of thriller, serial killer, woman at risk? The particular nature of her disorder, the visits to the doctor, the psychiatrist, the psychiatrist’s help?