I’ve been hesitant to write anything about Emergency because I wish everyone could see the film as I did, knowing absolutely nothing about it ahead of time. Given that it won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival that may be tough to do… but believe me, the less you know about it the more you will enjoy and appreciate it.
Amazon Prime has cut an excellent trailer that manages to tease the film without completely tipping its hand—no small feat considering that it starts out as one kind of movie and winds up being something else entirely.
A cast of mostly unknowns responds perfectly to K.D. Dávila’s savvy screenplay and Cary Williams’s straightforward direction. A film as clever as this could show off its smarts but Williams trusts the script (and the intelligence of his audience) and doesn’t feel the need to stress what is already recognizable. RJ Cyler, Donald Elise Watkins, and Sebastian Chacon truly shine, and I know I won’t be the only one looking forward to seeing more from these young actors.
Whether you see it as a genre-bending comedy, a so-painful-it-hurts social satire, or an unclassifiable commentary on contemporary life, Emergency demands your attention. When recommending it to your friends, you can decide how much you wish to spoil ahead of time.
The film opens in theatres today and will be available on Amazon Prime May 27th.
