The Black Gloves: Written Review

May 14, 2018

The Black Gloves

Written Review

Hi everyone! And Welcome to MyIndie Review Vlog. The show that gives you spoiler-free reviews of Indie films.

My name is Asaf Angel from MyIndie Productions and today I’d like to talk to you about 2017’s The Black Gloves. A film we got to view after pledging to it’s Kickstarter campaign.

The film is brought to us by Scottish indie filmmaker Lawrie Brewster from Hex Media. Firstly, thank you Lawrie, for sending us a link to view the film. And Thank you to Sarah Daly, who wrote the script, for sending us the excerpts for the review. The Black Gloves is Lawrie’s fourth feature as director, and fifth as producer.

The story follows a young psychologist named Finn Galloway, performed by Jamie Scott Gordon. Finn is a kind-hearted fellow, tormented and obsessed over failing his patient, Susan Barrow, a young teenage girl played by the up-and-coming Briony Monroe.

Susan seemed to be a troubled soul, burdened by a grave terror manifested by an owl-headed boogeyman, The Owlman who’s actually a recurring figure in Brewster’s work.

Finn’s quest for redemption leads him to a large secluded house belonging to reclusive ballerina, Elisa Grey played by Alexandra Nicole Hulme.

Elisa was also said to be burdened by the Owlman, and that was enough for Finn to commit to helping her, despite the ominous vibe he kept getting from her disobliging and creepy caretaker/ballet teacher, Lorena Velasco, played by Macarena Gómez.

The film is visually astounding. It’s filled with breathtaking shots, meticulously performed, and professionally executed.

Shot in black & white, the film pays homage to classic 1940’s horror films. Everything from the visual style, structure, FX, makeup, to the film’s score and even the titles and the poster design, are all an ode to the era and genre.

Except for a few choices that I didn’t understand but could easily be pegged as part of the experimental element of the film, I was captivated and inspired all the way through. The people behind this project are top-level Professionals.

The performances were precise and amplified just enough to also serve as homage to the era. The outcome may testify to Brewster’s attention to detail, as well as the actors’ total immersion in their respective roles.

It’s interesting to experience the mystery around certain characters’ obscure drive, as neither Finn, nor the viewer can quite make sense of what’s going on, or why certain characters behave the way they do.

To sum up, whether you’re a fan of the genre and era, or appreciate high-level cinematography, or simply seeking inspiration, I highly recommend you watch this film.

The Black Gloves gets an 8/10 on the Look at Me I’m A Film Critic scale!