While not frequently used, snuff films have been a presence in cinema for a great while. Of course, no production can reach the heartwrenching depths of 8MM (which remains Schumacher’s best), but that does not mean no one should. Written by Mike Gerbino and directed by John Balazs, Freelance is a thriller set in Australia about snuff films. Does the country that produced the beautiful One Perfect Day strike gold again?
The story follows freelance editor Katie (Nicole Pastor), who is hard-pressed for a well-paying gig as she can not even afford a cup of coffee, much less her rent. But Guy (Stephen Degenaro), who fancies himself her boyfriend, though in reality Katie is just using him for free meals out, and fellow filmmaker Kevin (Jordan Fraser-Trumble) do what they can to ensure she has the basics taken care of.
One day, Katie receives a strange message promising a massive payday. The message, which is cryptic and unsettling, states that all four videos must be completed by a specific time. If even one of them is late, she will not be paid for any of her work. That is easier said than done, considering the content of the videos: it would appear Katie has been hired to edit a snuff film. At first, she doesn’t think it is real, but there’s something about one of the last videos that changes her mind. Then her cat is poisoned, and other off-putting things keep happening. Are these just manifestations of an overly stressed mind brought on by the gruesomeness of the work? If these videos are real, will Katie take them to the police? Is there anything the police can do about them anyway?
“…it would appear Katie has been hired to edit a snuff film.”
The opening credits sequence is ripped straight from a 2002 direct-to-video techno-thriller. It is cheap-looking, erratically edited, and more than just a little silly. Suffice to say, this is not the best first impression. Luckily, Freelance quickly finds its footing thereafter. Gerbino’s writing makes Katie likable and relatable, with her near poverty feeling like the fault of the industry, not her partying every night. Pastor makes the character determined but vulnerable and frustrated.
Guy isn’t quite as dimensional, as he does little more than adore everything about Katie. Still, Degenaro is amiable in the part and plays his last few scenes perfectly. Kevin’s arc is not revealed until the end, but it works very well. Fraser-Trumble is charming enough to pull off the twist, while Pastor sells the intensity very well. The characters’ development and their interactions keep the audience invested and connected.
Freelance never quite measures up to the heartbreak of 8MM, but what does? On its own, minus the opening credits, the movie’s an intense thriller about the depraved things money makes everyone do. The cast sells the vileness of the snuff films well, and the ending is a masterstroke of storytelling, leaving the audience satisfied and intrigued.
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Source: Freelance – Film Threat
