Perfect (2018 film)
{{short description|2018 American science fiction thriller film}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Perfect
| image = Perfect2018Poster.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Eddie Alcazar
| producer = {{Plainlist|
- Eddie Alcazar
- Javier Lovato
}}
| writer = Ted Kupper
| screenplay =
| story =
| based_on =
| starring = {{Plainlist|
}}
| narrator =
| music = Flying Lotus
| cinematography = Matthias Koenigswieser
| editing = Gardner Gould
| studio = Brainfeeder Films
| distributor =
| released = {{Film date|2018|03|11|SWSW|2019|05|17|United States}}
| runtime = 85 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Perfect is a 2018 American science fiction thriller film directed by Eddie Alcazar in his feature length debut and starring Garrett Wareing, Courtney Eaton, Tao Okamoto, Maurice Compte, and Abbie Cornish.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/03/steven-soderbergh-eddie-alcazar-film-perfect-has-first-look-sxsw-1202331793/|title=Steven Soderbergh/Eddie Alcazar sci-fi film 'Perfect' Has First Look at SXSW|work=Deadline Hollywood|first=Bruce|last=Haring|date=March 10, 2018|accessdate=May 12, 2019}} The film had its premiere at South by Southwest on March 11, 2018. It was released in the United States on May 17, 2019.
Plot
A young man finds the corpse of his murdered girlfriend lying in the bed next to him. Having received a call from him, his mother takes him to a genetic-engineering clinic, where the patients transform their bodies and minds.
Cast
- Garrett Wareing as Vessel 13
- Courtney Eaton as Sarah
- Tao Okamoto as Ozawa
- Maurice Compte as Dr. Price
- Abbie Cornish as Mother
- Martin Sensmeier as The Harvester
- Rainey Qualley as Perl
- Leonardo Nam as Haskell
Production
The film's working title was Puberty.{{cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/film/article/flying_lotus_to_score_eddie_alcazars_perfect|title=Flying Lotus Scores Eddie Alcazar's New 'Perfect' Film|work=Exclaim!|first=Calum|last=Slingerland|date=February 2, 2018|accessdate=May 12, 2019}} The project was unveiled by Brainfeeder Films at the 2016 American Film Market.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/markets-festivals/afm-abbie-cornish-dylan-gelula-garrett-wareing-puberty-1201909985/|title=Abbie Cornish, Dylan Gelula, Garrett Wareing Join 'Puberty' (EXCLUSIVE)|work=Variety|first=Dave|last=McNary|date=November 5, 2016|accessdate=May 12, 2019}} Part of the filming took place at the Sheats–Goldstein Residence in California.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/03/perfect-eddie-alcazar-steven-soderbergh-sxsw-interview-1202335706/|title='Perfect' Cast On A Rigorous Shoot At Los Angeles' Iconic Sheats-Goldstein Residence — SXSW|work=Deadline Hollywood|first=Matt|last=Grobar|date=March 12, 2018|accessdate=May 12, 2019}} Flying Lotus wrote the score for the film.{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2019/04/flying-lotus-teases-new-song-in-perfect-film-clip/|title=Flying Lotus Teases New Song in Perfect Film Clip|work=Spin|first=Will|last=Gottsegen|date=April 10, 2019|accessdate=May 12, 2019}}
Release
The film had its premiere at South by Southwest on March 11, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://screenanarchy.com/2018/03/sxsw-2018-trailer-take-a-trip-into-eddie-alcazars-perfect.html|title=SXSW 2018 Trailer: Take a Sci-Fi Trip with Eddie Alcazar's PERFECT|work=Screen Anarchy|first=Rodney|last=Perkins|date=March 9, 2018|accessdate=May 12, 2019}} SingularDTV subsequently acquired the worldwide rights to the film.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/05/perfect-sxsw-steven-soderbergh-blockchain-singular-dtv-1202399081/|title=SXSW Entry 'Perfect' Acquired By Blockchain Studio SingularDTV|work=Deadline Hollywood|first=Dade|last=Hayes|date=May 29, 2018|accessdate=May 12, 2019}} It was released theatrically in the United States on May 17, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/flying-lotus-previews-new-song-spiral-in-perfect-film-clip-watch/|title=Flying Lotus Previews New Song in Perfect Film Clip: Watch|work=Pitchfork|first=Braudie|last=Blais-Billie|date=April 10, 2019|accessdate=May 12, 2019}} It was released through video on demand on Breaker on June 21, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/296099/interview-director-eddie-alcazar-on-breathtaking-style-and-grotesquely-fascinating-body-horror-in-perfect/|title=Interview: Director Eddie Alcazar on Breathtaking Style and Grotesquely Fascinating Body Horror in PERFECT|work=Dread Central|first=Michelle|last=Swope|date=June 23, 2019|accessdate=June 29, 2019}} In Scandinavia, the film was released on DVD and Blu-ray by Nonstop Entertainment in January 2020.[http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=55398 Perfect (Blu-ray).] DVDCompare.net.
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of {{RT data|score}} based on {{RT data|count}} reviews, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/perfect_2019|title=Perfect (2018)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 36 out of 100, based on reviews from 7 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/perfect-2019 |title=Perfect |work=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=June 29, 2019 }}
Peter Sobczynski of RogerEbert.com gave the film 2 out of 4 stars, writing, "Eddie Alcazar's movie is ambitious enough, but it's the work of a would-be visionary without any clear vision."{{cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/perfect-2019|title=Perfect|work=RogerEbert.com|first=Peter|last=Sobczynski|date=May 17, 2019|accessdate=May 18, 2019}} John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "While some will embrace the shards as a Shane Carruth-like brain-teaser, the movie is ultimately too reflective of its genetically-engineered subjects — soulless under an entrancing veneer."{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/perfect-1094428 |title='Perfect': Film Review {{!}} SXSW 2018|work=The Hollywood Reporter|first=John|last=DeFore|date=March 14, 2018|accessdate=May 12, 2019}} Amy Nicholson of Variety commented that Eddie Alcazar and Flying Lotus are "fixated on body horror, vanity, breaking good-taste boundaries, and blurring the lines between feature film, music video, and art installation."{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/perfect-review-1202726149/ |title=SXSW Film Review: 'Perfect'|work=Variety|first=Amy|last=Nicholson|date=March 14, 2018|access-date=May 12, 2019}} Chuck Bowen of Slant Magazine gave the film 1 out of 4 stars, writing, "Eddie Alcazar's Perfect is the sort of purposefully inscrutable, wandering, disconnected, symbolic, and highly precious mood bath that you'll either adore or loathe."{{cite web |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-perfect-is-a-series-of-lurid-pillow-shots-in-search-of-a-soul/ |title=Review: Perfect Is a Series of Lurid Pillow Shots in Search of a Soul|work=Slant Magazine|first=Chuck|last=Bowen|date=May 14, 2019|accessdate=June 29, 2019}} Jeff Ewing of Forbes called it "surreal and complex, with the natural beauty of the surroundings alternating with body horror and psychedelic interludes."{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffewing/2018/12/20/blockchain-blockbusters-breaker-and-the-promise-of-a-blockchain-studio/ |title=Blockchain Blockbusters: Breaker And The Promise Of A Blockchain Studio|work=Forbes|first=Jeff|last=Ewing|date=December 20, 2018|access-date=May 12, 2019}}
References
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