I read the plot summary, "OK, structured like Memento, let's see if it's original." Started out fair with nothing very compelling. Seemed like a standard small town crime story with nothing new beyond the backwards- in-time format. But definitely picks up along the way. Got more interested as I watched and it ultimately paid off very well! The structure truly served the plot and was not just applied to make it seem creative. It was inventive, tautly paced, well cut and an appropriate length. Give it a shot. You might even want to watch it again. I plan to.
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ejr-410 June 2017
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blanche-225 June 2017"Shimmer Lake" is a very enjoyable dark comedy from Netflix.
The story of a bank robbery is told backwards. When I started watching it, I thought it looked cheap. I don't think it cost a fortune. It concerns the local sheriff and his attempts to bring three bank robbers to justice - one of whom is his brother. The story goes in reverse day by day as we meet the different participants.
I thought the dialogue was funny, the actors were fine, and while it will remind some people of Fargo, it's no Fargo though it is good. And I loved the way it was wrapped up at the end.
Clever, funny, Netflix has redeemed itself after that awful thing Handsome. -
Horror_Flick_Fanatic14 June 2017I'm not sure why this film is considered a crime-drama. It is really a dark comedy and mystery told in reverse chronological order. It's certainly not a serious crime-drama at all. Unlike most comedies of this sort that make local police look like the buffoons and the FBI agents the serious crime fighters. This film spins things around by making the FBI the buffoons. The exception is the sheriff's sidekick who doesn't seem to get a chance to sit shotgun with his partner in the squad car. Almost always relegated to the back seat.
I thought it was creative and funny. -
sbweightman16 November 2020A crime caper which is told in reverse which seems like a bad choice until the end (beginning) of the story where it all comes together nicely. It has a quirky style, some humorous moments and good acting, but mostly, it just rolls along without much of a fuss.
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kosmasp21 February 2018Although you don't have a character with short time memory loss, the story is told in pieces and starts in "current time", to move backwards, day by day. An obvious choice, since this makes the movie a little bit more interesting and gives it an edge, it would not have otherwise. After I finished it, I did rewind and check some scenes. There were subtle hints for things to come or rather things that happened.
Still it is not above complete scrutiny and some may even say it is too clever for its own good. Nit-picking aside, if you like decent thrillers that keep you guessing with decent actors and decent acting in it, I can recommend this movie to you. Even with the warning signs, there are certain things that will surprise you. Whether you agree with the "morals" of the movie or not. And whether you accept some "coincidences" or not, is up to you ... -
CANpatbuck366411 June 2017*Minor Spoilers Ahead* Our story begins during a grey Friday morning in an unnamed mid-west town. Andy Sikes (Rainn Wilson) is hiding in the basement with a big bag. His daughter comes into the laundry room and he's able to convince her to go back upstairs without giving him away. She goes upstairs to have breakfast with her uncle Zeke Sikes (Benjamin Walker) who just happens to be the sheriff and her mom. Andy is able to sneak out and steals his neighbours' car. Zeke has no choice but to continue to work and he picks up his deputy Reed Ethington (Adam Pally). The day continues to unfold, we see the aftermath of this violent bank robbery. But instead of moving to Saturday, we actually rewind to Friday and the story continues to unfold in reverse so we deal with the aftermath first and the movie progresses back to the heist.
The story being told in reverse is pretty key to keeping this story interesting. You would think seeing what was going to play out would kill any urgency to the plot but I didn't have that problem. Some would describe this is a gimmick but Shimmer Lake pulls it off pretty well. If you were to tell this story in chronological order, it would be pretty typical friends turn on friends whodunit. The movie wouldn't be awful but I would imagine it would lack the surprise it would need. It gives the movie something to standout from the crowd and it definitely helped keep me interested in what was going on.
Once you get past the obvious hook with Shimmer Lake, you're mainly looking at a story of a bank robbery gone bad. We've seen this in other movies but they do enough interesting stuff to keep you guessing. There are a lot of side-plots being interwoven into the main through-line that you don't get an explanation for till you see the end. This is a pretty delicate tightrope to walk but they also pull it off more than they don't.
Most heist/crime movies present a flashy atmosphere with an exotic locale, some well trained criminals and an over-the-top villain, that's not the type of movie that Shimmer Lake is. This is a story that takes place in a small mid-western town and the characters are grimy low-level thug types. They aren't bumbling idiots (except for one or two characters) but no one would confuse them for experts or skilled operatives. It makes for a more realistic picture but I doubt you'll come away liking many of these characters. No one seems to operate as morally black or white, they're all shades of grey and that may or may not be your thing.
While you would think that this movie would attract some well-known character actors, one of the more bizarre things about Shimmer Lake is who they decided to cast in these roles. The majority of the cast are comedic actors and yet I could only think of a few times where a joke was even attempted let alone when it worked. Although he wasn't the main character, Rainn Wilson was the standout. He's totally stripped of any of his comedic charm and he did a really good job playing a scumbag bank robber. I didn't like Benjamin Walker early in the movie but as the movie plays out, Zeke gets more fleshed out and I thought his performance got better. Stephanie Sigman does a decent job being mousy and laying in wait but her character has a lot more to her than she lets on. Wyatt Russell isn't in the movie very long but he makes the most of his opportunities. In the supporting parts, they cast charismatic comedic actors: Rob Corddry, Ron Livingston, John Michael Higgins and Adam Pally but they give them very little funny stuff to work with. To be fair, they're all fine but it was still confusing why they chose to do that.
Shimmer Lake isn't mind-blowing or earth-shattering but I enjoyed it in the end. It milks the telling the story backwards gimmick well and although the cast fills odd roles, they do their jobs effectively. The story also boasts enough twists in the narrative to keep you off base. I won't say this is must see entertainment but this is a solid choice for something to watch on Netflix. -
educallejero11 September 2018This movie works because it uses a particular style to tell the story ala "Memento". While its not as awesome as that one, it does everything well. The acting is superb. Its so good, that you get surprises by the day (the movie is told backwards day by day), more than anything because of the subtle acting from everybody. Its short, well edited, well writen and performed.
Benjamin Walker in particular shows off on this dark mystery dramedy of a movie. And at 1h 20m doesn't meanders through unnecessary plots and unimportant "arcs" for characters that are tangential to the point of the movie. Great, great small movie. -
shamrock07531 December 2019I really enjoyed this. It's a good quality B movie. Well written and acted, it held my interest throughout. I don't often write reviews but this is a little gem which deserves a higher score. Don't let the told-in-reverse thing put you off; it's easy to follow and the storytelling works well. Try it!
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random-7077810 December 2020I can imagine the pitch for this: Yeah the story is lame, the actors are mediocre to talentless, and the dialogue is frankly childish, but we are going to knock off some of the least subtle stuff from Fargo -- and tell the story backwards as a gimmick.
Look I am a fan of Times Arrow since undergrad, but they thing is that form *follow*s function and telling a story in reverse has to have some inherent meaning to the story and in this case there is none. -
jtindahouse14 June 2017There are two reasons you might make a film with a non-linear time line. The first is that you have a twist in your film, however the twist doesn't come at the end of your story so you need to make it happen at the end of your story (much like 'Memento' did). The second, and inferior, reason is that your film simply isn't unique enough on its own. 'Shimmer Lake' is a combination of both of these reasons I suspect. There's a twist of sorts which would have come at the beginning of the film and now comes at the end. But what they won't tell you is that by doing this it is also hiding the fact that this is a very run-of-the-mill story line told a thousand times over. I'm sorry, but it really is. There is nothing fresh here in that regard.
I feel like there were a lot of missed opportunities in this script as well. It should have been more fun. There should have been more reveals (or at least more important ones). As each day goes by backwards, it feels more like things are simply being confirmed for us, rather than taking us by surprise.
There's also a quite bizarre tone to the film. There are a few actors in the cast known primarily for their comedic talents. When they're on screen the whole film feels more like a comedy than anything else. Then when they're not on screen the film decides to take itself very seriously. In that respect the film is an absolute mess that looks like it has been dissected a hundred times over in the editing room. There was an idea here that could have been good, but that was as far as things got. Sadly this is a misfire. -
No spoilers here.
Like Memento, it's written to be watched twice. The writing is tight and smart, nothing is wasted, though that might not register until the second time through.
Both bleak and comic, it is a genuine mystery, in that clues and red herrings are carefully planted throughout, with a big reveal at the end that is genuinely surprising. The storytelling architecture is very satisfying.
You are not emotionally invested in any of the characters. This is by design, the structure pretty much guarantees it, and it's a good thing.
Though it works backwards, it goes day-by-day, not sequence by sequence, so while you are kept engaged in figuring out what's going on and who's who, it's easy enough keep track, you're never at sea. There's plenty to enjoy the first time through, but much of the early content, and many of the "jokes" -- it's very dark, but they are a kind of jokes-- only hit on second viewing.
It's a new kind of thing, straight to streaming, the cinematic equivalent of a straight-to-paperback noir. Made cheaply enough that neither the cinematography nor the acting seek to wow you (though they do get the job done) so it's not like a movie. But it's not like TV either, it's not looking for ratings, it doesn't have to go big-hit-or-die, it doesn't need a sponsor, it can be its own thing, the story they wanted to tell, everything's in there they wanted, nothing is in there they didn't want.
I liked it a lot. I probably wouldn't have watched it again, but there were special circumstances, and I'm really glad I did. -
SnoopyStyle16 July 2022This is a comedic crime drama told in reverse order. Andy Sikes (Rainn Wilson) is a fugitive from the law. His brother Zeke Sikes (Benjamin Walker) is the sheriff. Kyle Walker (Ron Livingston) and Kurt Biltmore (Rob Corddry) are FBI agents. Andy is supposed to be involved with Ed Burton (Wyatt Russell) in a crime.
This is interesting but it's not hitting at a top level in any one element. I like the idea of reverse order but one thing I notice is the day of the week title card. It needs to be the day of the month which allows for an easier countdown effect. The trick of the premise should be the guilt or innocence of Andy. That goes out the window real quick. The story telling becomes muddled with the reverse order. As for the comedy, they have the cast for it but it doesn't always connect. It seems to be trying for The Big Lebowski but this filmmaker Oren Uziel is not quite at the Coen brothers level. He's done some good work as a writer but this is his only directing credit. He definitely does not have the cinematic style of a Coen brothers movie. This is an interesting attempt although the filmmaker is not quite up to the task. -
slundy-197882 January 2018Maybe unfair to compare Shimmer Lake to the greatness of Memento, but I could not help feeling that this was the inspiring film, so the contrasts become clear.
Whereas Memento's backward reveals at each stage were deeply thought-provoking, the reveals of Shimmer Lake were mostly a case of "so what?".
Only an idiot could miss the fact that the death of a child was the core theme. The inclusion of all the characters involved in that death and resulting injustice made clear that revenge was the clear motive (not the money). The self-professed oh-so-clean sheriff in a dirty town was a further obvious hook. The final reveal was, accordingly, pretty obvious and disappointing.
As a final damning comparison, Memento DVD's had an option to play the movie in chronological sequence, which gave an even darker view of the manipulations and machinations. Watching Shimmer Lake in its correct time sequence would rank it way below an episode of Columbo (famed for telling you the killer from the beginning).
Watchable, But Poor. -
patrickfilbeck14 November 2022This 2017 Netflix production is the directorial debut of screenwriter Oren Uziel, and the actual scribbler has managed to tell a good story more than solidly, while still integrating atypical atmosphere into a streaming film and picking actors who manage the balancing act between quiet excitement and loud suburban calm very well.
The story is unfairly compared to Christopher Nolan's "Memento" (2000), though those who make this very incorrect comparison only manage to cite a single argument, namely the story being told backwards. Except that's simply not a unique selling point of Nolan's debut feature.
Uziel tells his story - he is, in fact, also the film's screenwriter - in chapters, starting with the last one and then moving backwards over the days to the beginning of the story arc. The narrative style suits the film, is clever and also has a purpose that is fulfilled, namely the twists and turns that are surprising in places. The film makes it easy to compare the scenes after watching, to put the plot together and then to enjoy everything again mentally. Due to the fun of it all, some of the plot's weaknesses don't matter so much, small inconsistencies of the bank robbery are rather easily wiped away and one also forgives a discreetly exaggerated overdrawing of the characters in the film.
The actors, on the other hand, do a very good job. First and foremost Benjamin Walker, who with his almost stoic manner makes the main character an interesting one, but one that is difficult to get through, and this again comes close to the basic idea of the film, or rather this kind of play is rather essential to what happens on the screen, or on the streaming screen. Russel, Williams, Higgins and co. Play solidly and in their familiar rut, so easily watchable. To their credit, they were cast wisely for their roles. Still standing out is Adam Pally, who mixes his very funny, but not silly, character with just the right amount of charm, wit and seriousness that the script and the essence of the film give. Pally is also a contributing character to the film's comic element, which Uziel sprinkles into his film in a well-sorted way that is always present but never too much. The running gag about sitting in the back seat of the police car is about a perfectly written for this backwards film and manages to tickle out a laugh while watching it.
All in all, Shimmering Lake is a surprisingly good film that manages to pull off a mix of genres that rarely goes well. The film isn't quite the big hit yet, but it's good entertainment that everyone involved was happy to work on and put effort into. -
danielmanson8 July 2019As the title says, that's how I felt about this movie. It was definitely a well written script and showing the plot in reverse did work, however using this method I just felt like when the twists or major event took place, it left me feeling a bit anti-climatic. The ending is a good example of this (won't say why due to spoilers). You could kind of guess who was behind it as well the more the film went on also.
Other than that, it's not a bad watch. Netflix have released some horrific films, but this isn't one of them. Definitely worth a watch, because it's different. But it certainly won't blow your socks off! -
PCT197010 May 2019Uziel helms and pens an exceptional dark dramedy thriller. The story is recounted backwards much like Nolan's, "Momento" which keeps the mystery tense until the end which is actually the beginning. This film has considerable direction, screenplay, cinematography, score, settings and acting. All of the artists deliver ambitious portrayals of subtle comedic characters and serious characters. In particular Wilson, Livingston, Corddry, Russell and Pally stand out. Walker commands the screen and is very impressive as the cool headed intelligent Sheriff. The plot revolves around a bank robbery and is untangled using title cards starting with Friday and ending with Tuesday. The three suspects are childhood friends Andy, Ed and Chris. Friday starts off Andy who is a corrupt prosecutor hiding in the basement from his brother Zeke who is the Sheriff investigating the robbery and was shot during the heist. Andy escapes the basement and speeds off. The FBI shows up and Zeke explains this is a small town, where everyone involved grew up together, played sports together and know each other. He assures them that he and his Deputy Sheriff Reed have it handled. Andy throws the loot in the back of Chris' wife Steph's car and then an arm with a 'State Champions' tattoo reaches from the car and shoots Andy dead. Thursday starts with Zeke investigating Chris who is the wheelman. We learn that Andy got Chris and Ed off on a reckless manslaughter charge in which a child was killed. The child was Chris' and Steph's son who died in Chris' meth lab. We meet Judge Brad Dawkins who is involved as he is the owner of the bank and was blackmailed into giving up the vault combination due to a revealing videotape that would ruin his reputation, marriage and aspirations. The Judge burst in on Chris demanding the videotape after the robbery and things go awry. Wednesday starts with Andy and Chris trying to determine if Ed took off with the money. Steph has lured Chris into the compromising position that allowed the Judge to burst in. Andy busts in on the Judge and his meth head boy toy. He insists Ed has something on the Judge and a struggle ensues. Steph holds the struggle and videotape as a bribe to have Andy hold onto the money for Ed. Tuesday starts with the robbery being planned by Andy, Ed and Chris and we see a tattoo with 'State Champions' on an arm. Steph is pleading with Chris not to pull off the job but he convinces her it is their only way out of their current lives. The Judge has loaded the vault and it is Zeke's responsibility to guard the vault for the night. Zeke tells Reed to go home. Andy and Ed break into the bank and take Zeke hostage. Andy leaves assuming Ed has things under control. Then the ingenious reveal occurs. The film is witty, crisp, clever, violent, engaging, duplicitous, cunning, vengeful and has a vindicating end. The film has some quirky, daft and chucklesome scenes. The two FBI agents banter while eating during a stakeout when a streaker runs by, the inept masks and accents during the robbery are zany and sitting in a car Andy tells Chris to turn on the radio to get an update and the dim witted Chris puts on music. There is significant dialogue. This viewer's favorite is when Zeke says to Chris, "You know what they say. Once you take a life, it's always easier the second time". This is an appreciable film in it's genre. This film is one of three hidden gems that Netflix released in 2017. The others being "Small Crimes" and "I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore". These three films are not bravura works of art, but they are definitely superior to most of the abysmal content that Netflix has offered.
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Enthusiastic_Viewer21 June 2019All the ingredients are there for a great movie. Great acting, great story, humor, plot twist, and delivered in reverse time like the movie "momento".
Shimmer lake is about a local sheriff who is hunting down 3 bank robbers(one of which is his own brother).
The acting was great to me. Especially rainn Wilson. It was as if Dwight Schrute quit Dunder Miflin and helped rob a bank! How can you not love it? Add in Benjamin walker, the beautiful Stephanie sigman, Ron Livingston, and John Michael Higgins and you've got yourself one hell of a cast.
The plot isn't all that great but by being shown in reverse chronological order, it really helps intensify everything. You really have to pay attention in order to really follow along and understand what happens.
What really set it off for me was the plot twist in the end. Many may have seen it coming but I thought they did a really good job setting it up. I, for one, was shocked and totally didn't see it coming. There's moments of humor sprinkled throughout. At first I didn't find it all that funny but it gets better as it all plays out.
Overall, I'd say it was a great movie that's definitely worth checking out. I'd recommend it to pretty much anyone. -
dar041723 January 2020The idea of the story being told backwards adds some interest to the film but it comes off to me as the only way to tell this story for it to be entertaining. That being said it's worth checking out.
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All I have to say is that a golden era in film has come to an ignominious end by the overtaking of storytelling by political messaging, namely unrealistic female protagonists.
From Mad max fury road to unbelievable to Terminator dark fate to ghostbusters our dearest films are being tainted by studios towing the popular party line.
I'm all for strong female characters, just not in every stinking thing that gets released.
True Detective and the Sopranos seem like long lost halcyon days. -
Once in a while a film jumps out that doesn't follow the conventional ways of storytelling and that certainly leads to a peak of interest. "Shimmer Lake" tells a murder mystery in reverse, in the ways Nolan brilliantly told his "Memento" decades ago, however nowhere near as gripping as that.
"Shimmer Lake" centers on an investigation lead by small-town sheriff Zeke Sikes, played by Benjamin Walker. The clever gimmick of the script is that the narrative is presented backwards, day by day within the time span of a week. While the way it informs the viewers on how the events came to be is interesting in its premise, the screenplay seems muddled and rushed, missing out tiny details or not explaining everything that leads up to the plot.
The cast did a great job with an impressive performance by Rainn Wilson in particular. However, I felt like I couldn't connect with any of the characters and didn't find myself wanting them to either succeed or fail in the film. The film's running time doesn't even pass 90 minutes, this I believe, leading to a hasty narrative, overlooking backstory details.
"Shimmer Lake" sells itself as an interesting take on a crime mystery film, but ultimately it just isn't that interesting as it was supposed to be. -
Many lines were brilliant, with satisfying performance the movie caught my attention till the end and got me well there. Seriously though, this is a drama/crime but definitely not a thriller. They were probably just having too much fun with those lines without even trying. Cinematography could be better if some more hand-held and close-up are used. Overall, it is an excellent black humour, and I will certainly watch it for a second time.
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This film is really not bad. It was entertaining and interesting from the beginning til the end. The fact that it goes from the end to the beginning of the story makes it even more interesting in a way that you have to remember all the details with hope not to miss anything important and solve the story - like the tattoo arm that killed the guy.
I have to admit that I was surprised by the truth and that adds to the + of this film.
Low budget but the actors were all pretty good. Nice thriller with elements of comedy which I must say I did not find funny at all, but that does not make this film less interesting.
Maybe the back story which triggered all of this - the accident in which a child is killed could have been explored more - though on the 2nd thought - it may not have added anything to the story. But as it is the one thing that started all...
All in all, good way to spend your 90 minutes. 7 from me. Though it is close to 8. -
gamefreaklaf4 September 2017This review may contain spoilers.
Here are some notes I took while watching the film in real time. ( / indicates break in time taking notes)
Tone deaf. / Backwards plot, point? Casting? Three comedy actors for a crime drama. / Bad child actor, unrealistic writing for a kid / Stilted acting. / Why weren't there any police/FBI staking out Andy's house if there's a 10 state radius highway check? / He just left the house no problem When did cop get shot, why is he a part of the case if his brother is a key suspect? Conflict of interest. / FBI guys are completely stupid, you have to be smart to be in the FBI I'm pretty sure. / Gloves??? Crime scene?????? / Prediction: Rainn getting shot at the end by someone other than Ed. Brother perhaps? Deputy? One of them is in bed with the Hispanic lady. / Static shots of people talking... but cameras can actually move. / Gay prostitute because it's shocking and weird! Makes the character less sympathetic, cheap trick. Cliché that politician has a gay lover/man ho. / Very stilted acting, writing is not great at all. / When you poop it makes gross farting sounds every time! / Why was there blood pooled at the bottom of the stairs? Nobody tracked any blood, body was upstairs. (blood on bag maybe?) / Guess gay kid had time to wipe from massive dump cause that's a clean booty. / Amazing timing with radio, why didn't they just have the radio on and have them wake up when they hear their names? / There are no stakes/suspense when you know each new character introduced dies. / Is this a comedy or a drama? Jokes don't fit anywhere organically. Everything Stephane says is sarcastic, trying too hard. / Not local, it's a federal crime to rob a bank. If sheriff is so smart, how'd he not know that? Guess they just give up and let him take the case involving HIS OWN BROTHER robbing a bank. / What is the point of putting a mannequin in your bed if you live alone? I guess that's just Chris being dumb. If the highways are all blocked why wouldn't the airports be as well? Getting passports are a wast of time. / How did none of the bullets hit Steph? Was behind a cheap motel wall against 9mm Uzi rounds at the least, .45 ACP at most. / Motivation for an upper middle class prosecutor to rob a bank? Why is Rainn so aggravated with family for no reason? / Prediction: Is it not Ed's kid too? Why is she more upset and claiming he wasn't? Not his kid, affair. / Prediction: The look Steph gave when Rainn was trash talking his brother - they're banging and he is covering for her. Maybe his kid? Possible revenge against Ed/Chris/Rainn/judge for the kid dying. Got confession from Rainn earlier in film in a conversation that had nothing to do with kid dying. / Don't hold a gun like that. / Stilted acting again. / Brain matter? There would be brain matter there in the pool of blood. / Filling in a hole as big as a car would take for-freaking-ever.
No reason for backwards plot besides reveal that Ed died much earlier and they have same tattoo for some reason? Could've concealed the death better while keeping forward moving plot. Some points could be attributed to sheriff controlling where police are, etc. but still does not explain away that THIS IS A FEDERAL CRIME and that the FBI 100% have jurisdiction.
Those particular FBI guys had no reason to be in the film, didn't move plot forward in the slightest. Only were there to frustrate me. Also what is Rainn Wilson's character's motivation for robbing a bank? Seems pretty well off. Great sheriff who murders people for justice. We never had a chance to root for him. Literally called the twist 15- 20 minutes in. Comedic stuff was a waste in a story about a sheriff who had a bastard with his friend's wife taking revenge on the friend, his own brother, a judge, and some idiot for accidentally killing the bastard child, undermining his own job and everything it stands for. -
ksf-28 April 2022Big storm brewing in this little town. The bank gets robbed. The judge is dead. Two brothers are on opposite sides of the law... one is the sheriff, one is a crook. A little confusing, since the story is told backwards. We start at the end, and work back. Everyone here is quirky. Some fun names in this... rob corddry, rainn wilson, ron livingston. When the fbi comes in, for once, they are happy to let the sheriff take charge. Some funny lines. A bank heist gone so wrong. It's pretty good. A couple twists.. i think. I have a tiny little brain, so it's hard to think backwards. Written and directed by oren uziel. The only project he's directed so far, but he does have more things in production.
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Mabkid16 August 2022If you're in the mood for something a little quirky and off-beat, Shimmer Lake fits the bill. It's slow, funny, dark... with a good twist at the end.
The story is out of time sequence, and runs in reverse, so you do have to work a little to figure stuff out. Again, good if you're in the mood. But it's no Memento. Still a good mental workout.
The final twist was interesting but the delivery could be more intense/inspired, I suppose.
The characters are quite interesting, however.