There is a moment in Blink Twice when Frida’s character, played by Naomi Ackie, is drinking her champagne near the pool and she starts choking on a raspberry. At first, no one is paying attention but then Channing Tatum’s character, Slater King, swoops in to help her. By the time he gets to her, Frida has already coughed up the dreaded raspberry. This scene is in a way indicative of what we get from Blink Twice. There are moments where everything seems fine, then a second later things can lead to death.
Blink Twice is the directorial debut of Zoë Kravitz and it tells a story that is hard to describe without giving away too much. From the opening scene, we can feel and see all of Kravitz’s sense of style and music as it just oozes from the screen. She has a great way of making the mundane look interesting and uses colors in a way that feels unique. Her musical upbringing comes into play with all of the fantastic needle drops throughout the movie, especially during one moment near the end of the film. While there are a few missteps along the way, Zoë Kravitz has left her mark on filmmaking with Blink Twice.
In the movie we meet Frida, who feels like her life is in a rut and wants something more. She works as a waitress with her best friend, Jess, played by the charming Alia Shawkat, and they both try to make the best out of their situation. They live in what looks like a run-down building with mold issues and a superintendent who does not make their scheduled meetings. Frida has a thing for Slater King, who has just returned after being away due to some situations that made him apologize for his discretion.
The entire apology sequence that happens at the movie’s beginning and in other instances seems vaguely familiar. How many times have we seen men of power do something terrible and after some time away come back a new person and all is forgiven? We have seen this too many times and in Blink Twice we see that while all may be forgiven it is sometimes not forgotten…or is it?
Trying to steer away from spoilers, let’s just say that something is off on the island that Slater King owns. While every day is filled with champagne, delicious food, and “fat blunts” from the fat blunt queen, things are not what they seem. In moments reminiscent of Get Out, or The Stepford Wives, the audience starts to notice little mannerisms in the people on the island that make you question why did Frida and Jess go there in the first place
The entire cast is brilliant in their roles and amongst them, Adria Arjona’s Sarah, shines alongside Naomi Ackie. There is a moment that is close to America Ferrea’s Barbie speech, when Sarah talks about how women are always made to compete against one another instead of supporting each other. This is one of the great moments of the film along with seeing how the women on the island get their moments to shine.
Final Thoughts: Blink Twice tells a cautionary tale of how far we would lose ourselves to be seen and let the world manipulate us into what we think is a good life. Frida, Naomi Ackie, gives us an amazing performance that has us feeling her pain one moment and cheering for her success the next. While there are a few missteps along the way, Zoë Kravitz has left her mark on filmmaking with Blink Twice. Also, keep your eye open for the quick Lenny Kravitz cameo.
Kid-Friendly: This would not be suitable for younger kids at all. Blink Twice is rated R for strong violent content, sexual assault, drug use, and language. Parents, if you go with your older kids be ready for some conversations about what you just saw.
Violence: The film starts pretty tame, but does get bloody later on. There are images of people being stabbed, shot, and sexual assaults on women.
When tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun-soaked days and everyone’s having a great time. No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.