10 years ago, an unknown filmmaker named Jeremy Saulnier introduced one of the most distinctive films of the 21st century at the Cannes Film Festival.Green Roompresented audiences with a horrific situation that was as realistic as it was cinematic. Everyone dreams of being in a band when they’re young, but few consider the less glamorous realities. Saulnier’s horror thriller took this concept and built a nightmare out of it.
InGreen Room, punk rockers are depicted as the “dangerous” versions of rock stars. They are the “bad boys” of the music scene, but they pale in comparison to the dangerous audience at what becomes their final show. Nothing good can come fromplaying a music genrethat white supremacists embrace in a venue that’s packed with skinheads, right?
What Is ‘Green Room’ About?
Starring the lateAnton Yelchin in one of his last performances,Green Roomfollows a punk band named The Ain’t Rights as they accept a last-minute gig to play at a club they’ve heard nothing about. The venue is located deep in the woods outside a Pacific Northwest town, but it’s a paid gig, so they accept. After their set, they witness something tragic backstage. Someone has been killed in the green room, and the club’s owners won’t let them go. They are white supremacists, and their agenda is far too important to be exposed. Per the Rotten Tomatoes synopsis of the film:
The punk band Ain’t Rights, after a canceled gig, finds themselves performing at a neo-Nazi skinhead bar. A series of violent events unfolds, leading to the band members fighting for their lives against the dangerous skinhead group. In a desperate struggle for survival, the band members must outsmart and outfight their attackers to escape the deadly situation.
What Makes ‘Green Room’ So Effective?
Green Roomhas always defied easy categorization. It’s not strictly a horror film, and Saulnier keeps it firmly rooted in a grounded setting. Nevertheless, it is horrifying enough to scare most of its viewers. Its execution of thriller tropes is a masterclass in tension that never stops to take a break. It is, without question, one of the mostintense cinema experiencesyou can imagine.
Fortunately, Saulnier doesn’t rush to present the film’s main premise. The movie doesn’t exactly go for a slow-burn first act either. The characters are introduced as familiar archetypes, and their motivations are clear enough to explain why they don’t question such a bizarre contract.
When it comes to solving the conflict, Saulnier is a ruthless storyteller. He doesn’t do much to follow conventions and is not afraid to discard characters based on his realistic approach to the story. There are survivors, of course, but they are mere portraits of the people they once were. This is quite visible with Macon Blair’s character Gabe, a skinhead who holds a close relationship with the leader (Patrick Stewart’s Darcy), and who, in the end, accepts the inevitable. Gabe is the most interesting character in the movie.
The film’s violence, both physical and emotional, is the driving force. Saulnier,who also directedBlue RuinandRebel Ridge,doesn’t hold back when exposing white supremacy as the core villain that fuels the inevitable outcome— one that’s unfortunately as violent as the values behind an organization as sinister as this. Yes, this depiction takes a backseat to the survival plot. Still, it does make you think that these cells are very active today and will do absolutely anything to keep their agenda alive, even if it’s killing innocent punk rockers who just dared to accept a last-minute gig.Green Roomis available to rent onPrime VideoandApple TV.
Green Room
