It’s so exciting when a writer/director can emerge as a director to watch with their first film, and that’s exactly the case with Lauren Hadaway and “The Novice.” Her film, which is playing as part of the Tribeca Film Festival, blends sports, thriller and romance to combine for one truly compelling character study.
The character at hand is Alex Dall (Isabelle Fuhrman). She’s a freshman majoring in physics even though it’s her worst subject. She’s also a part of her novice rowing team. Dall is an obsessive personality; taking the same test three times in one sitting until she thinks it’s perfect, or until time runs out. She brings that same attitude to rowing, hellbent on being the best in her class no matter the cost.
Dall’s insistent that, while she may not be the smartest or even the most talented athletically, she’ll make sure that she works the hardest out of anyone. This is usually at the cost of her personal relationships. This includes a friend from high school in Winona (Jeni Ross), or fellow rower Jamie Brill (Amy Forsyth). Brill is a character who is similarly ambitious, but not to the same extreme.
It also comes at the price of Dall’s mental and physical well-being. As a performance, Fuhrman gives it her all as Dall, learning how to row for the role and putting on 10 pounds of muscle. She captures the anxiety, but most importantly the intensity in the performance. Her monologues are effective and the physical aspects of her performance, or moments without much dialogue, are equally strong.
I’ve also been a fan of Fuhrman’s since her best-known role as Esther in 2009’s “Orphan,” and it’s been cool seeing her in roles since (like as villainous tribute Clove in 2012’s “The Hunger Games”), but it’s great to see her in such a meaty leading role again. In some of the manic, intense ways that Fuhrman plays Alex Dall, there are traits leftover from “Orphan” in Fuhrman’s bones.
The way she plays it helps “The Novice” hold some unpredictability as to the extent of Dall’s capabilities, but Hadaway knows her world so well that she keeps it believable throughout. In the rowing scenes, the film is thriller because of how intense they are. They’re perfectly shot in Todd Martin’s cinematography, and there’s such a distinct energy in direction. The soundtrack for these scenes, and the rest of the film, is killer.
I love sports films fuse with other genres, especially with a sport like rowing that is so interesting visually. “The Novice” isn’t a rousing sports story, but a cutthroat depiction of rowing and Hadaway’s depiction of that makes this world feel so rich. It’s also fascinating that it’s rowing, especially as Dall really thinks of herself first instead of considering that it’s a team sport; and the technique relies on everyone as a unit.
It’s fascinating, too, watching Hadaway’s great visual style paired with such a compelling lead performance. In one scene, Hadaway has Dall in a spotlight as she rows in the ergometer room, expressing how focused she is when she rows. It’s set to one of the film’s many great song choices in Patsy Cline’s “Someday.”
Hadaway locks her in these moments as she rides the ergometer, as Dall tries to reach an unrealistic goal in her head, with great editing by Hadaway and Nathan Nugent. As well, Hadaway’s imagery in the film is so memorable. This is especially in surreal scenes as the school mascot of the raven is incorporated into the film, as Dall imagines them; like they’re ingrained in her head, teasing her that she can do better. These are moments that call to mind Darren Aronosky’s “Black Swan.” Visually, Hadaway never rips anything off; but you can tell she’s a fan of films like these, as well as David Fincher’s style in the lighting of the cinematography.
It’s fascinating, too, meeting Dall as this obsessive character in the first 15 minutes. Then, we meet the version of her when she’s actually enjoying life. Fuhrman balances that so well. Then, Dall eventually goes back into her self-destructive ways because of rowing, isolating everyone in her life; namely Dani (model Dilone, in her first acting role). We are so immersed in the rowing that, while the romance has sweet moments, it doesn’t take centre stage. It merely develops infrequently throughout the runtime.
The movie’s filmed in Peterborough, ON, Canada (a city I visit often because of family), and filming the rowing scenes on the Otonabee River is a great choice. On the flip side, filming inside Trent University is an interesting idea for Dall mentally.
The architecture of the school has so much concrete, that many scenes are rather depressing. These scenes aren’t as “lively”. They practice in a dark basement, so everything has a bit of a prison vibe to it. It’s fitting for Dall mentally because this all feels like a prison of her own making. Cuts on Dall’s hand that would most take a break express Dall’s ambition because she has to keep going. That’s why her obsession in “The Novice” makes it so electric to watch.
“The Novice” is now available to stream on Tribeca at Home through June 23, available to watch here.
