This new film is making the film festival rounds at the moment, and this year has seen varying different reviews across the board. We recently received a screener link to watch the film and we have to admit we don’t quite know what to make of the Sarah Pirozek-directed film, #LIKE. It’s certainly film noir at its best keeping us guessing right until the end whilst also keeping it extremely dark and deep. We weren’t ready for this and we’re sure you aren’t too.
#LIKE has been written and directed by Sarah Pirozek whilst the lead actress is Sarah Rich who plays Rosie, a teenage girl who is struggling with the loss of her sister (played by Samantha Nicole Dunn), whilst Marc Menchaca plays a mysterious man who Rosie reckons was involved in the death of her sister but is she right? Was he involved? Or is he innocent? This film keeps you wondering over and over whilst the secondary characters come in and out of certain scenes making you guess even more. These secondary characters are played by Jeff Wincott, Dakota Lustick, Jolene Marquez, Liz Meinders, and Marin Gazzaniga.
The film opens up with Rosie who is in mourning because the day is one year exactly since her sister passed away. Her sister, Amelia, couldn’t cope with her life and so she took her own. Rosie does some digging around on her sister’s social media page and finds out that a guy “sexploited” her online. That same guy is currently cruising online looking for his next victim. After trying to get the authorities involved, who refused to help, Rosie decides to take matters into her own hands.
A stroke of luck comes along when she sees a guy (played by Marc Menchaca). He looks the type to exploit girls and he also uses the catchphrase seen in the social media messages. Rosie decides to follow this guy and sees him taking photos at a children’s playground. If that wasn’t enough proof for Rosie, she also spots a dreamcatcher hanging from the rear-view mirror of his car that looks very similar to the ones that her sister used to make.
With her mind made up, she comes up with a plan to get her own back and make him admit to what he has done. As a viewer you’re constantly doubtful, but as Rosie is our main character we are compelled to agree with her although she may well be completely unreliable. Is she right? Or is she wrong? Should we trust Rosie? Should we trust the guy she targets? Should we trust her friends? Everything is up in the air as time goes on, with various twists and turns. The ending also flares up questions that we’ve had throughout.
Watch The Trailer To The Film #LIKE Here:
The film made its world premiere on 9 March 2019 at Cinequest San Jose Film Festival in California. It later was shown on 1 June 2019 at the Brooklyn International Film Festival in New York, where the producer, Sarah Pirozek, won the award for Best Producer.