Director: Andrew Cividino
By Alex Watson
In an impressive debut, Andrew Cividino's Sleeping Giant is one of the finest pieces that Canadian cinema will deliver in 2016. With a hard-hitting yet easy going feel, this picture effortlessly captures a summer that will change everything. In Cividino's film, relationships are explored, bonds are tested and family is something that can cause pain. Winner of the Best Canadian Feature at the 2015 Toronto Film Festival, Cividino emerges as a name to watch.
Adam (Jackson Martin) is a quiet kid from an upper-middle-class family who are vacationing in Lake Superior, Ontario. Soon after arriving he strikes up friendships with Riley (Reece Moffett) and his unintelligent, tough-talking cousin Nate (Nick Serino). As the summer drags on their playful friendship soon descends into petty crime, jealousy and suspicion. Nate, in particular, seems eager to drive a wedge between not only the two new friends but through Adam's whole world.
From the get-go, Sleeping Giant's masculine feel is made apparent by Cividino as we see the boys energetically play fighting on the beach. Nate and Riley go at fiercely while Adam quietly tries to stay out it. This theme is often recurring through this picture and the director doesn't waste time introduce us to the different character traits. Riley and Adam bond almost instantly and Riley is soon joining his family on such luxurious things as boat trips. Through his eyes, Adam has everything in life he is devoid of and this friendship quickly earns the hatred of Nate. This character is often the catalyst and seems to carry a heavy chip on his shoulder with the world which he expressed through his constant fast talking put downs.
What starts as childish wind-up techniques soon turns more sinister when a painful revelation about Adams well-to-do Dad comes forward. Nate is overly keen knock this outsider and his rich family and merciless taunts Adam with the truth. A heavy fracture then descends upon the trio from which things never recover. Adam is also mocked about his friendship with attractive teen girl Taylor (Katelyn McKerracher) and his inability to act. The young man's sexuality isn't made abundantly clear by Cividino but his attachment to Riley and certain glance do raise questions. Although he is the quiet kid of the bunch, Adam has another side to him which personifies a teenage brat. Nate's constant graphic bragging about his probably nonexistent sexual ability uncovers how desperate he is to be fit in.
There is far more to Sleeping Giant than just boys being boys and things come to head during the movie's second half. Nate's antipathy comes becomes almost toxic when he insults everyone during a board game. Hateful opinions are slung, accusations thrown and painful home truth revealed. Now we have reached the point of no return and each loyalty is put under the microscope. How Cividino examines teenage friendships is commendable and the hurt feels raw and real. Boys can be as friendly as they are mean and this is often a cruel fact of youth. Riley is the most profoundly affected while Adam seeks to almost twist the knife on both sides. Whether this out of genuine concern is unclear but it sure doesn't help. Get for a finale that will have you holding your breath throughout.
Centrally we get a trio of excellent performances from the young men, led by the talkative Nick Serino. Coming off like a human Scrappy-Doo, Serino is able to inject his character with a fine mix of humour and inferiority. Nate is the wannabe hard case you went to school with who talked your head off but did little more. His performance leaves the biggest impression of all. Jackson Martin is a largely silent but effective force and smartly he gives his character an invisible cunningness that isn't apparent until the last act. Reese Moffett also excels as the more social Riley and he is very much the glue that holds the collapsing three together. Moffett is most watchable during his quieter moments where his withheld emotions come to the surface.
Overall, Sleeping Giant is a strong feature by Cividino that realistically profiles how even the most distant friendships can be the most devastating. I look forward to seeing this name again soon.
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