With limited release in mid June “Time of Death” finally accessible to the masses. “Session 9” and “Shutter Island” kept coming up in my mind while viewing this film. Films that blurred the lines of reality while the protagonists attempted to solve a mystery in a dreaded-gothic near dilapidated prison. A tortured protagonist who is plagued by visions and hallucinogens. “Time of Death” is a psychological thriller that understands the tropes, and edits to make a psychological thriller. Repeated scenes, flashbacks, and a dash of mysticism.  The makers of this appear to be well acclimated to the genre. It’s technically a solid film, but the script is where it takes a step back. All the events are supposed to take place in christmas of 1987, but it was not expanded why it that exact moment in time. All I can gather why is to use the cars of the time.The story is very doughy and green with dialogue that has no life to it and does not develop their female characters at all. Female characters that are just in the story to provide a lazy laced love triangle that doesn’t add any depth to the script. In addition to underdeveloped characters the others are so much of a cliche that I knew what they were gonna say before they said it and the mystery wasn’t much of a mystery at all. 

The film stars many character actors that hardly ever get top billing on a production. Familiaris faces that many will recognize but occasionally won’t recall their names. Michael Kelly, Kevin Pollack, Dennis Haysbert and Mena Suvari. Each that had a touch of stardom in the mid 90’s. And each is trying their best to emit something that is compelling.   It is refreshing to see them all lead and wish they had more meaty scenes than just saying their lines. 

There is no film score in this. But the production team did a fantastic job of setting and dressing the film. It is the one standout of this.  The production and locations are great and great choices. A decision that I wholeheartedly agree with. It enhances the sensation of isolation and dread and solemn solidarity. The film almost touches on the sense that the building is a character itself, a trope that I feel the script needed the most. In fact it felt the film even assuaged the setting of this film, being safe. I even wonder if doing this film in black and white would elevate it? A wild choice indeed it would be.

Overall it is a forgettable film. The only retainable thing in it is seeing these character actors lead a cast for once.  There is a rich tangible story in there somewhere in its concept- if it was given the chance to bake in the oven a little longer, but still there wasn’t much of a mystery to solve in the story anyway, and there wasn’t much new to convey in the genre including guarding the female characters and providing no heroism.  It was all much the same and unimaginative . 6/10