The Dazzled

_Les Éblouis_ / _The Dazzled_ is like a homemade communion wafer: There's nothing really new or original about it, but it's better than you'd expect. This film about a 13-year-old girl whose parents drag her and her younger siblings into a Catholic sect is more than just a cautionary story. Director Sarah Suco films the descent into the dark side of religion almost as though it were a horror movie where the church is the serial killer on a rampage, murdering people's spirits. Suco knows how to get the most out of her actors, and her directorial style is very present. The thought she puts into each scene is obvious, and there is a dynamic at play between the camera and the cast which makes the tragedy of the plot more immediate. (One minor complaint I have is that the film is built around Céleste Brunnquell who plays young Camille. Her character is the heart of the movie and Brunnquell's breakout performance is fundamental to the success of the project, so I find it shocking that she receives fourth billing!? WTF!?)