Freelance
by Brooklyn Ewing
As a fan of early 2000s horror thrillers, I found myself feeling nostalgic as I watched Freelance.
The opening credits won me over immediately giving Seven vibes with a touch of 8mm, and Feardotcom.
Katie (Nicole Pastor), a freelance video editor, is in desperate need of a job. Her life seems to be falling apart, until she receives an anonymous offer to edit a bizarre video clip. This snuff film style horror movie clip comes with a lot of cash, and Katie is facing eviction. She spends most of her time between various men who think they are saving her, as she struggles to make ends meet editing pornography. When she has to decide how far she will go to keep her lights on things start to take a turn for the worst, and that’s when the viewer gets to start playing detective.
Freelance, from Melbourne-based filmmaker John Balazs, looks gorgeous. The rich color grading, and thoughtful shot choices make this one more than worth giving a chance.
Pastor is great as the out of work, and obviously talented, Katie. Her love for her cat and hatred for her nasty landlord are extremely relatable, and help make her even more likable. Her ability to attract successful men and use them for free meals and advice helps amp up the tension when we can’t seem to pinpoint who is hiring Katie for these seedy editing jobs.
For folks who work in freelance type jobs, this one will feel very relatable, especially if you’ve taken on gigs you weren’t proud of, and your parents are always asking if you got a new job. I definitely enjoyed the tension, and cat and mouse game that keeps you guessing throughout the film.
Freelance feels like it belongs in the early 2000s, but the creative editing, and writing keep us grounded in today’s filmmaking. My only issue is with the almost 2 hour run time, but I think that’s because I just wanted to verify if my theories were correct about who, or what, is behind all the mystery videos.
This is an exciting independent release from Australia, and will definitely keep people guessing. Give Freelance a chance, especially if you’re into Dark Web focused films.
