A local restaurant is hell-bent on maintaining its public image. So much so that its chefs, Tina (Amelie Leroy) and Michael (Charlie Clee), go out of their way to personally torment and eventually murder patrons who dare leave a negative review on their page. Chef Michael has his eyes and knives set on social media manager Elysia (Sarah Parker), who left a less-than stellar rating, questioning the idea behind cooking fondant potatoes in beef fat. Michael asks the young woman out on a date at his establishment but finds himself apprehensive about going through with his evil plans.
Stories of obsessed chefs aren’t anything new, most recently seen in Mark Mylod’s sleeper hit The Menu. Featuring a culinary mastermind hiding behind pompous platings and showmanship, Mylod’s film was ultimately a critique of society’s current materialistic views. Director John Ferrer, quite smartly, uses the impact of social media to take a stab at both consumers and producers in the restaurant world. 1 Star Review opens with a viciously creative sequence, showcasing the sadistic methods of Tina and Michael, who hunt down their targets and change their review. We never get a clear explanation for how they manage to log into their victims’ devices, and the film doesn’t really care to fill in the blanks. The narrative is filled with questionable conveniences, such as the tracking of these individuals, the lack of investigation into their deaths, and the restaurant’s continued operation despite the cooks’ distractions.
Elena Jukes’ production design and Charlie Martin’s camerawork is where 1 Star Review really shines. From the elegant, wide-open dining room to the offputtingly claustrophobic kitchen area, the environmental storytelling on display is excellent and does a fantastic job of incorporating vibrant colors to establish the mood. Likewise, Ferrer musters some serious levels of tension from Michael and Elysia’s confrontation, making effective use of both the environment and the nearby appliances. Parker plays a damsel in distress role with a decent level of competence for a horror character, but Charlie Clee’s Chef Michael steals the show. It takes some time for Clee to warm up to Michael’s persona, but he hits a chilling stride later on, exploring the more complex side of a troubled man.
Though not without its logical faults, stylish execution mixed with some food-for-thought makes John Ferrer’s 1 Star Review a course worth digging into.
