Historically speaking, films that use their narrative to push a political agenda never walk away unscathed from public ire. Regardless of subject matter, an “objective” lens can and will always prevail. Much like Alex Garland did in his recent A24 outing, Civil War.
Writer/director Brady Nelson’s Outrage doesn’t pick sides and certainly doesn’t ask the viewer to do so either. It’s keen to hang out somewhere in the middle, watching an election week unfold where nothing, and nobody, is free of judgment or justice.
Troll farm recruit Kevin Ipson (Alex Campbell) is an investigative journalist who quickly discovers that his boss, M-Theory Labs mogul Bryan Macelvoy (Paul Stuart), has been using his organization to influence the upcoming elections in favor of far-right candidate Franklin Trellit (Jeff Goldsmith) by bringing his rival Governor Newbaum down. The group’s motto, “Always Be Clicking,” reflects Macelvoy’s expectation of constant activity to achieve his ultimate goal of shifting the numbers. Acknowledging his limitations and the potential consequences of this group’s actions, Kevin boldly decides to thwart Macelvoy’s efforts to tilt the polls in Trellit’s favor. Soon enough, scandalous headlines flood the news, targeting presidential candidates on both sides, including Trellit.
Outrage has ammunition to spare for its central politicians, using Macelvoy’s staff of Kevin, Birdie (Josh Lopez), and Jesse (Kayley Stallings) to reveal each snippet of information over time. Kevin is, of course, the odd man out, trying to play both sides by engaging with different sources to further his leads, all while trying to look unassuming in the office space. Campbell is a likeable, compelling lead, portraying a diligent young Ipson who has his heart is in the right place. His ambition, however, is what may be his undoing should he meddle too much with the digital world.
A lot of the film plays out on Kevin’s computer screen, but not in the wholly interactive way we’ve come to recognize this narrative tool in films like Searching or the Unfriended horror franchise. Here it’s all anonymous chat rooms, emails, and news portals that paint a vivid picture of a turbulent United States. Outrage feels current and thus forces its characters to be in the moment. There is some blatant, clunky use of AI here and there, though the use of artificial images/videos in this context helps open a discussion on how some may use it for smear campaigns. Still, it’s worth mentioning the use of it so audiences are aware.
Most importantly, it delivers on its promise of intrigue by taking place in a single night and one location. Though this creative choice often backfires for indie films looking to build tension, here it has the opposite effect. You’ll find yourself dreading every new piece of this puzzle as Kevin struggles to keep his cool while undercover, all while constantly being badgered by Macelvoy. The ultimate conclusion to this evening comes in the form of a blindsiding twist.
Outrage is a sleeper of an indie film that shows how tight pacing and insightful storytelling can overcome budgetary constraints.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0DLSWBJ4D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r
