Upon Entry (2022)★ 7.3/10

It's a model example of a low-budget film, and it is even award-worthy. It truthfully portrays the absolute control wielded by the powerholders and the suppression of the human rights of the interrogated. The shifting narrative focus to the rift in the relationship between the two leads at the end is a beautiful touch, making the film even more rewatchable. The O. Henry-style ending was somewhat predictable but still worked effectively.

It’s outstanding, compact and powerful. The first half is intense, with tension and oppression incredibly well portrayed. The emotional twist in the middle makes the audience subconsciously change their emotional stance. In the latter part of the movie, the director skillfully conveys the characters' psychological changes through precise and clever audiovisual language. The ending is consummate, for it portrays an apparently intimate relationship crumbling under violent scrutiny, while the seemingly cold machinery of the state shows a hint of unexpected warmth in the final moments.

The movie is actually about the struggles of an intimate relationship when facing questioning by public authority. When cracks start to show in the relationship, the truth and results of their immigration status are no longer important. A microcosm of society, this tightly-paced film is an excellent low-budget film.

This storyline is essentially a parallel version of my colleague's real-life experience, so I believe the creators of this film were inspired by their own lives or the events around them. The performances are solid and the emotional tension is there, but it seems as if the story is incomplete. The dramatic conflict stops abruptly without any aftertaste, and discussions around real-life issues merely scratch the surface. Overall, it’s a subject matter with great potential, but a pity the potential isn't fully maximized.

It’s a clever and unique piece. It’s all about an interrogation, the acts all meticulously arranged and clearly divided. The dialogue, starting from the entry of the Spanish-speaking female cop, is fantastic, gradually analyzing and delving into the relationship between the male and female leads. On one hand, it's difficult for any third parties, including the cops and the audience, to judge who's right or wrong in the relationship. On the other hand, the two separate interrogations of the leads once again reveal the completely different mental processes between men and women – men never deny incorporating their vested interests in love, while women often seek the purity of love. The line "Welcome to the United States" at the end serves as a confirmation and blessing for their relationship.

Structured in a completely enclosed space and pretty much built around dialogue, the strict limitations of this format made scriptwriting a difficult task, but the writer of this movie did an incredibly good job. The three-act structure is clear, and there are even two plot twists; only the ending feels a tad insignificant. Although the absurdity of it all is achieved in this ending, it's a shame that the couple's reunification in the second inspection area wasn't as interesting as before. The performances and audiovisuals are on point as well. The construction noise outside the interrogation room while the male lead is being interrogated for the second time is certainly striking.

The scriptwriter and director are really talented. They portrayed a simple event with a tight pace, composedly yet lightly, touching on politics, power, gender and other topics in a film composed almost entirely of dialogue. However, it doesn't feel forced or redundant. The script is excellent, and the pacing is astonishing; I didn't even realize how time flew by while I was watching. Combined with the superb performances of the two main characters, this is a prime example of low-budget indoor storytelling!

Intense, suspenseful, funny, frightening, and serious, this movie is packed with emotional tension. The interrogation brings up discussions about certain political issues in the US and the problem of trust breaking down between people. It also hints at the gender power gap, discrimination, and female allyship, essentially focusing on grey areas. The script doesn't leave much room for the director to explore further, but even so, the indoor scenes are shot very precisely. Almost every shot has a specific purpose while differences are sought between each of them.

É um modelo exemplar de filme de baixo orçamento e é até digno de prêmio. Retrata com veracidade o controle absoluto exercido pelos detentores do poder e a supressão dos direitos humanos dos interrogados. A mudança do foco narrativo para a ruptura na relação entre os dois protagonistas no final é um belo toque, fazendo com que seja ainda mais fácil reassistir ao filme. O final ao estilo de O. Henry foi um pouco previsível, mas ainda funcionou de maneira eficaz.

É extraordinário, compacto e poderoso. A primeira metade é intensa, com a tensão e a opressão incrivelmente bem retratadas. A reviravolta emocional no meio faz com que o público mude inconscientemente sua postura emocional. Na última parte do filme, o diretor transmite habilmente as mudanças psicológicas dos personagens através de uma linguagem audiovisual precisa e inteligente. O final é completo, pois retrata um relacionamento aparentemente íntimo desmoronando sob um escrutínio violento, enquanto a máquina aparentemente fria do Estado mostra uma pitada de calor inesperado nos momentos finais.

O filme é, na verdade, sobre as dificuldades de um relacionamento íntimo diante dos questionamentos da autoridade pública. Quando começam a aparecer fissuras na relação, a verdade e os resultados do seu status de imigração já não são importantes. Um microcosmo da sociedade, este filme de ritmo acelerado é um excelente filme de baixo orçamento.

Este enredo é essencialmente uma versão paralela da experiência da vida real de um colega meu, por isso acredito que os criadores deste filme foram inspirados pelas suas próprias vidas ou por acontecimentos que aconteceram ao seu redor. As atuações são sólidas e a tensão emocional existe, mas parece que a história está incompleta. O conflito dramático termina de repente, sem qualquer sabor residual, e as discussões sobre questões da vida real apenas arranham a superfície. No geral, é um assunto com grande potencial, mas é uma pena que o potencial não foi totalmente explorado.