A Young Man With High Potential review: A series of unfortunate events leads to inexcusable and catastrophic results in this chilling tale.
A Young Man With High Potential review, by Kat Hughes.
A Young Man With High Potential Review
Along with Seeds, A Young Man With High Potential is one of this year’s Frightfest’s more controversial subject films. Whilst Seeds focuses on taboo familial desires and a main character’s fight to force the urges down, A Young Man With High Potential sees an uptight man finally succumb to his inner desires.
Piet (Adam Ild Rohweder) is a socially awkward, lonely and reclusive student. He spends his days alone, ordering take-out to his apartment to avoid the canteen, and catching up on classes online rather than attend them. This changes when he is forced to partner on a project with new student Klara (Paulina Galazka). Before long, Piet becomes fixated on Klara and, after his advances are rebuffed, starts down a dark and despicable path.
A Young Man With High Potential Review
A Young Man With High Potential makes for tough viewing, director Linus De Paoli does a fantastic job of building atmosphere and tension, but Piet’s actions are utterly inexcusable and it’s impossible to get on side with him. Initially you may feel sorry for the loner who spends his evenings chatting online with a Camgirl, but soon that sympathy melts away. It’s clear from the start that Piet is somewhat socially awkward, but it’s hard to believe that that means he doesn’t know and understand his that decisions and actions are both legally and ethically wrong. In fact, there are a rare couple of moments where he clearly does know, but carries on regardless. This middle section, during these decision making moments and their aftermath, are extremely difficult to watch. It certainly won’t be to everyone’s palate.
A Young Man With High Potential Review
Following the pivotal scenes, the tension and horror disappointingly dissipates for the final third in which Piet must cover up his actions. At this point the film shifts to an almost slapstick and comedic tone. It jars with what has come before and it is here that the film loses its way.
Though not easy to watch, A Young Man With High Potential does show high potential for Linus De Paoli. Were some of Piet’s decisions to be not so affronting, and if the atmosphere and tension could be maintained for the run-time, this could have been very special. As it stands, A Young Man With High Potential is a polarising study of a weak-willed man.
A Young Man With High Potential review, by Kat Hughes, August 2018.
A Young Man With High Potential screened as part of Arrow Video Frightfest 2018.
