It’s nearly the weekend again, and that means Film Focus. Here’s Todd Thacker, who’s filling in for Mike Laidman, with what’s new in local theaters.
On offer this week are two studies in contrast -- one entirely unique and thought-provoking, the other, not so much. But there’s certainly a market for both so here’s a closer look at what you can expect from the character-driven Australian film Partisan, and the mundane thriller Return to Sender.

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Todd Thacker

Welcome to Film Focus. I’m Todd Thacker.

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Partisan (2015, Ariel Kleiman)
A man builds a cult-like community with a dark purpose.

First up: Partisan. This Australian Indie depicts a bleak tale of an isolated commune set up by Gregori -- played by the consummate actor Vincent Cassel -- who on the face of it has given refuge to a group of battered women and children. But it turns out Gregori’s “garden of Eden” is more a surreal dystopia.

The film is told through the eyes of 11-year-old Alexander (played by Jeremy Chabriel), one of Gregori’s many children. Through him we learn only bits and pieces of what life is like in the commune and its interactions with the outside world. Gregori, it turns out, has trained his children to become murderers for hire.

As the complex character arcs of the father and son reveal themselves, it becomes clear that the commune will never be big enough both of them, so much so that you can literally cut the stark sense of dread with a knife.

Though some reviewers have called Partisan too “ambiguous,” the film is undoubtedly a thoughtful, well-shot cinematic experience. It’s unique, visually rich and a poignant examination of how our indiscretions can be passed down through future generations.

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Return to Sender (2015, Fouad Mikati)
One woman’s tale of revenge in a run-of-the-mill thriller.

Return to Sender, on the other hand, is a run-of-the-mill revenge story. The overall consensus is that at best it’s a mishmash of Hollywood themes, the likes of which you’ve seen before. Or at worst, it’s an overly graphic and superficial story of a blind date gone very, very wrong and its dark aftermath.

Return to Sender has left many reviewers scratching their heads as to why Oscar-nominated actors Rosamund Pike and Nick Nolte, as her on-screen father, would sign on to this predictable film.

If you’d like to turn off your brain and just settle in for a standard thriller/horror combo, though, then this is the film for you.