CRISIS POINT
Canada, 2012, 87 minutes, Colour.
Rhona Mitra, Elias Tonfexis, Erika Rosenbaum, Marc Menaid.
Directed by Adrian Mills.
Crisis Point is a Canadian production. And it is quite an interesting drama. The focus is on crime, police work, but especially negotiations in hostage crises.
The star is the British actress, Rhona Mitra, as Cameron Grainger. She has a strong screen presence, introduced as lecturing to students about hostage situations, called to intervene in what could be a small case, a 16 year old who is holding up a store. We see her in action, she moves swiftly, getting the trust of the young man, persuading him to come out of the shop, put down the gun, while she takes off her vest. In a moment of confusion he is shot and dies. This has a strong effect on her and she wants to move out of her work for some time, despite the attentions of the police officer who is attracted to her, urging her back to work, and of her sister who is her confidante.
While Cameron has some time off and receives a letter from the victim’s mother, absolving her of all blame, she goes back to teaching. However, the victim’s brother has been stalking her sister and with a friend, they disguise themselves to rob the bank where the sister works. This leads to another intense hostage situation, much more personal, with Cameron contacting the mother of the victim to discover that the perpetrator is his older brother whom he looked up to.
There are some twists in the decisions of the negotiator leading to a satisfactory ending.
The film seems to be made on the streets, with ordinary people as passersby, giving a strong sense of realism to the situations.
1. An interesting drama? Police? Hostage situations? Negotiations?
2. Detroit setting, the scenes of the city, buildings, streets, drug stores, banks? The final escape outside Detroit? The water? The musical score?
3. The title, with reference to hostage negotiations, for the criminals, for the negotiator?
4. The initial situation, the hooded young man on the street, going into the shop, the manager, the customers, pulling the gun, getting the money, his hitting the manager at the safe, the fact that someone witnessed the situation and phoned the police? The arrival of the police, the young man nervous, taking the hostage? The hostage’s fear?
5. Cameron and her lecture, her eager students, classes about negotiation? Getting the young woman to take over? Her going to the scene, her being briefed? The police officer and his friendship with Cameron? The police outside, snipers? The many guns?
6. The scenes filmed on the streets, the many people on the sidewalks, watching, sense of realism?
7. Cameron and her negotiation skills? The measured steps, contact, offering help, reassurance, getting a name, the fact that he was young, scared? Her decision to go to meet him, taking off the vest, his laying down the gun, the hostage warning not pick it up, coming out with his hands up, his fears, reassurances, the manager and the gun, Eric being shot?
8. The effect on Cameron, not saving Eric’s life, her continued concern, writing to his mother, the reassuring letter?
9. A policeman, urging her to continue, his visit, the bonds, the ‘maybe’ going to dinner? The truck and his being observed?
10. Cameron and her bond with her sister, their discussions, ease each other, Darcy working in the bank, her being observed?
11. Cameron, her decision to take time off, discussions with Darcy, going back to classes, the young woman who took her place with success?
12. The focus on the two criminals, their masks and disguises, planning the bank robbery, the truck, going in, the guns, confronting the people, the security guard, getting the money? The irony of Darcy going to the coffee machine? Their finding her? Collecting the mobile phones? Darcy’s boyfriend and his wanting to do something? The old lady, her initial difficulties with her account and her daughter’s signature, saying she had diabetes, her collapse, the effect on the robbers, getting the medics to take her out, the irony that there was nothing wrong with her? The tension within the bank, everybody in the break room? Difficulties with nothing to eat, getting the coins, toilet breaks, the robber and his accosting the teller, sexual harassment?
13. The phone call to Darcy and her not being there, Scott ringing the phone, getting Cameron to come? Coming quickly? With the policeman, his strategies, and investigations? The manager and his connecting the cameras to the police investigation? Eric’s mother, her not being able to identify the men, listening to the voice, that it was her other son, her explanation of the alienation between the two, Eric’s devotion to Scott?
14. The attempt to help by the aqueduct, the group opening the door, its being discovered, firing the shots, the police retreat?
15. The associate and his continued concern, anxiety, realising something was wrong, not being told everything? Wanting to get out?
16. The deal with the truck, with Darcy, Cameron taking her place? Cameron cool, tracking device, discussions with two men, naming Scott, the driver’s concern? Stopping, getting rid of the device, the irony that there was a second one?
17. Cameron, talking with Scott, the comparison between murder charges and robbery charges, his fears, taking off the mask, giving up? Waiting for the police?
18. The surveillance for the truck, capturing the robber on the boat?
19. Cameron saving her sister’s life, prepared to die for her, her reassurance?
20. An interesting film about negotiations, about the effect on criminals who were not particularly savvy, and the effect on the negotiations, emotions and skills?
