Review: Billy Crystal in a dramatic role? He’s up for the assignment in the thriller ‘Before’

As a cinephile with decades of film-watching under my belt, I must admit that “Before” is a curious addition to the Billy Crystal oeuvre. The limited series, now streaming on Apple TV+, finds Crystal venturing into new territory, and while he ably handles his role, one might have wished for more of his signature wit.

Billy Crystal ventures into uncharted territory as the lead in the limited series “Before,” debuting on Apple TV+ this Friday. Rest assured, he’s more than capable for the role. The task at hand is somewhat varied, but you’ll never doubt his competence. In truth, it might have benefited from a touch more of what he’s renowned for.

The haunting atmosphere, mystical plotline involving a child psychologist and a timid child, evokes the same sense of familiarity as “The Sixth Sense.” Indeed, this film, which was incredibly popular, is likely to come to mind for many.

In a narrative twist, Crystal takes up the role of Eli, who is about to retire, and stumbles upon an enigmatic, mute 8-year-old boy with bloodied fingers. This child appears to have scribbled a message onto Eli’s front door before making a hasty escape. At a later time, the mysterious boy slips into Eli’s house via the pet entrance; intrigued, Eli pursues the child – named Noah (Jacobi Jupe) – and finds himself led back to the residence of his caring foster mother, Denise (Rosie Perez). Remarkably, a work call summoning him back for consultation on an exceptionally challenging, brutal case hints at Eli’s exceptional proficiency in his profession. It turns out that this very child is at the heart of this complex case.

Noah seldom speaks; instead, he often makes loud noises, even in 17th-century Dutch, but he creates numerous drawings, many of which are unsettling and seem to hold significant meaning. The majority, if not all, depict a farmhouse, the same image that hangs on Eli’s refrigerator. While experts may be puzzled, it’s clear that his strange behavior is merely a response to some unknown factor or circumstance, or perhaps even a cosmic joke, tormenting him.

Eli’s deceased wife Lynn (played by Judith Light) will appear in flashbacks, dreams, and hallucinations throughout the story, as her death is a topic Eli has yet to fully come to terms with. She was a writer and illustrator of children’s books, and one of her drawings, reminiscent of a Hansel and Gretel tale, will significantly impact the plot. The narrative abounds with recurring themes, mirrors, and eerie parallels, as it explores whether the dead characters are ghosts, figments of imagination, or psychological manifestations—or perhaps some blend thereof.

Eli experiences a profound bond with Noah, often sharing his emotions, yet as a man grounded in science, he explains it as an “intense instance of projection and reaction.” Jackson (Robert Townsend) proposes that their connection might be spiritual, “perhaps an ongoing flow of life,” and suggests exploring ayahuasca as a possibility. This offers Crystal an opportunity for humor, “Give my regards to your shaman, tell him I’m sending greetings from 1969.

Eli, with an overly defensive stance, will persist in challenging the priest’s beliefs for a while. He accuses the priest of clinging to fantasies designed to obscure reality. “There is no divine entity dwelling above us,” he declares, echoing sentiments often expressed in movies and TV shows. Whether these supernatural entities are benevolent or malevolent, science almost always takes a backseat. In our Hollywood-influenced society, it’s usually the skeptic who must adapt their viewpoint, as it is they who must challenge the status quo.

The atmosphere is consistently eerie, filled with haunting sounds, music, and a dim color scheme that seldom offers bright or ordinary scenes for comparison. From the start, it’s clear that things will be unsettling, and while the scares intensify as the series progresses, they rarely deviate from being chilling.

Crystal thrives in this setting; he doesn’t give off the vibe of a tourist or someone dabbling in acting. At just 11 years old, but seemingly eight, Jupe delivers an impressive performance in a role that demands silent expressions of fear, anger, indifference, suspicion, and panic. Additionally, there are commendable supporting roles, such as Hope Davis portraying a doctor who is even less willing than Eli to accept the strange, and Miriam Shor playing an irritating real estate agent, who oddly insists on selling Eli’s house before he’s ready, providing the only humorous aspect of the production.

Sarah Thorp’s 10-episode series is divided into brief segments of half an hour or less, yet maintaining tension for five hours in a psychological thriller like “Before” proves challenging. The narrative progresses gradually until the climactic finish, propelled forward by a constant time constraint. However, there are instances where scenes with varying settings, energies, props, and hints are repeated, making essentially the same point, as the series plods along towards its ending.

As a movie enthusiast, I often find myself anticipating plot twists that are signaled too early, making the story less captivating as it progresses. I stick around until the end, hoping for a resolution with either a bright or a grim outcome. And sometimes, in the last moments, the tone shifts dramatically, leaving me surprised and intrigued. I won’t spoil which movies do this, you’ll have to watch and find out for yourself!

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2024-10-25 04:31