What can’t Zoë Kravitz do?
In 2022, The 35-year-old star was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People. Just four years prior, she was recognized in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Hollywood and Entertainment List. And it’s not hard to see why.
Kravitz, the child of acclaimed musician Lenny Kravitz and TV star Lisa Bonet, is an actor, writer, producer, model and brand ambassador for Saint Laurent. She even dabbled into music, releasing multiple albums under a project named “Lolawolf,” and working on a recently-shelved solo album with Bleachers frontman and Taylor Swift collaborator Jack Antonoff.
Now, she can add “director” to her impressive resume — although it would be hard to tell this is her first stab at helming a film.
Her directorial debut, “Blink Twice,” follows Frida (Naomi Ackie), a cocktail waitress, who’s whisked away with her friend Jess (Alia Shawkat) to a private island after a chance encounter with the stoic and controversial tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum).
Frida, Jess and King’s entourage (Adria Arjona, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Liz Caribel, Haley Joel Osment, Levon Hawke, Trew Mullen) indulge in the island’s endless collection of vices, with no phones and no connection to the outside world. As the days blend together, Frida begins to realize something is awry.
In recent years, hit films such as “Saltburn,” “The Menu” and “Parasite” have skewered the toxic culture surrounding billionaires and people who enable them. Fame, money and influence is alluring, but often has a darker side to it. In that regard, the premise of “Blink Twice” treads on familiar ground.
When the film at times struggles to separate itself from these excellent class commentaries, the primary issue is the screenplay, co-written by E.T. Feigenbaum. “Blink Twice” features a spattering of clichés, from unsubtle foreshadowing to some off-puttingly placed one-liners toward the film’s climax. It’s never eye-roll inducing, but it can feel a tad uninspired.
“Blink Twice” falters when it feels a bit on the nose. But to borrow another pair of clichés, once the plot kicks into gear, Kravitz hits the nail on the head.
The film separates itself from its contemporaries with its commentary on gendered violence, power and solidarity, inspired in large part by the #MeToo movement. Kravitz said she began writing “Blink Twice” in 2017 and drilled deeper into the story as women spoke up about abusive figures like Harvey Weinstein.
She handles the film’s twists, turns and tonal shifts with precision. Some moments nearly break the fourth wall, but do so in a way that feels urgent and necessary. In other words, Kravitz’s direction is the most effective when she directly confronts discomfort.
Kravitz is a naturally-gifted filmmaker, with strong instincts behind the camera and an assured directional vision. Her debut is a tightly-edited, sensory experience that will leave audiences squirming in key moments, and uncomfortably laughing in others.
In order to make this film work, it’s necessary for the ensemble cast to deliver convincing performances, and they do. In particular, Ackie’s Frida is a compelling lead and Adria Arjona is a scene-stealer.
Tatum plays well against his frequently good-natured disposition as an actor. His performance is about as far away from his work in “21 Jump Street” or “Logan Lucky” as you could imagine.
Not every member of the ensemble cast gets moments to shine — a little more background on Geena Davis or Kyle McLaughin’s characters wouldn’t have hurt — but Kravitz and Feigenbaum’s story deliberately peels back the layers on each of the characters’ personalities and motivations.
On a technical level, “Blink Twice” has a lot to offer too. Cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra, who previously worked on the stunning 2019 drama “The Last Black Man in San Francisco,” brings warmth to the island, but also uses lighting and color to heighten feelings of unease. Kathryn J. Schubert’s editing is similarly effective in how it accelerates and scales back the pace of the film.
“Blink Twice” isn’t a perfect film, or one devoid of retreaded storylines, but it’s a bold and striking directorial debut from Zoë Kravitz, and one that seems destined for loads of discourse. If for nothing else, check this one out for the conversation surrounding the film.
‘Blink Twice’
Rating: R
When: Opens Aug. 23
Where: Wide release
Running time: 102 minutes
3 stars (out of 4)
