TAKE ME
US, 2017, 93 minutes, Colour.
Pat Healy, Taylor Schilling.
Directed by Pat Healy.
The title refers to abductions. Comedian Pat Healey, who wrote and directed the film, plays a middle-aged man whose profession is abductions. On his wall at home are photos of his successes, paid for abductions, some people wanting to change their lives, others wanting thrills. The film fills in something of his background, a loser, separated from his wife, strained relationship with his sister and her family.
The film illustrates his profession by showing him abducting a large man and tormenting him by stuffing burgers into his mouth – an abduction therapy which, at the end of the film, has proven to be successful.
The main part of the film concerns a professional businesswoman (Taylor Schilling) who has booked a weekends abduction, paying a substantial sum. When she is abducted, it seems that it might be the wrong woman – and, what follows is a weekend of torment for the woman, of the possibility of a mistake, ultimately a reversal of roles, the woman actually being better creating a scenario in following it through than the abductor.
The film is produced by the Duplass brothers – and is in the vein of many of their low-key, small budget, oddball comedy films.
1. The title? abductions? Ray and his profession? Idea? Execution ideas?
2. The plausibility of the plot? The abduction profession? Carrying it out? Issues of crime, psychology, police?
3. The setting, Ray and his house, his visit to his sisters? The abduction, the fat man and his junk food, Anna and her capture, the interiors of the house? The musical score?
4. The portrait of Ray, age, appearance, awkward, wig? The stalking of the fat man, the abduction, the torture, the burgers? Letting him out, the warning? The audience discovering that this was a professional job? (And the satisfaction at the end of the fat man eating his salads and thanking Ray?)
5. Ray’s background, his wife, the separation? Reasons? On his own? The visit to his sister, the kids, the brother-in-law? Money? His sister later visiting him and seeing and are abducted?
6. The message from Anna, the tone on the phone, his checking the Internet? Her plan, the money deposit?
7. The abduction, the treatment of Anna, in the car, the boot, in the house, tied up? The interactions? Her violent resistance? No food? His reactions? Ray’s sister seeing her?
8. Audience sympathies? With Ray and his trying to do his job? With Anna and her experience of abduction, going to give the talk, the TV and her disappearance, the police investigations and visit? Not eating, the violence? Her acting as if she had not organised the abduction?
9. The shift of mood? Anna taunting Ray, his wig? His becoming desperate? Believing that he had the wrong woman? His treatment of her? The further shift with her revelation
that she had organised the abduction? What she wanted out of it? Her skill in acting the scenario compared with his skills? Turning the tables on him? On the roof of the building?
10. Ray, as a loser, his hopes, his being taunted by Anna about his wife, his family? His future?
