A drama that doesn’t deserve to be lonely on vacation.
“Islands” is a low key drama with more questions than answers. I thought I was the only person to acknowledge that until I did an interview with the cast and crew (director Jan-Ole Gerster, and stars Sam Riley, Stacy Martin, and Jack Farthing), who all shared their passion for the set-up, the island Fuerteventura playing as a real character, and the Hitchcock nature within. And I think there’s a certain complexity within the screenplay (written by Gerster, Blaž Kutin, and Lawrie Doran) that shows us an interesting character study.
Let me give you a wake up call. Don’t get “Islands” confused with “Send Help.” This is not the Sam Raimi horror movie you’re interested to see. This is a completely different film, although I enjoyed both movies. But for now, I’m praising “Islands.”
We see a tennis coach named Tom (Riley) lying facedown in the sand, getting up, and driving back at the holiday resort he works at. He used to be a tennis pro, but now he teaches it to tourists, and often spends his nights partying; even drinking and doing drugs on the job site when no one’s looking. As you can pretty much tell, he’s quite disenchanted with his life, especially with the way he’s always complaining and asking the concierge Maria (Bruna Cusi) for favors. And you can tell that she’s not a fan of him, based on her cynical reactions. At the very least, Riley nails the appearance with the sunglasses, hat, and white shirt, and he does a good job speaking Spanish, even of his wasn’t very good.
One day, Tom finds himself with a mother named Anne (Martin), who arranges some one-on-one sessions for her son Anton (Dylan Torrell). At first, she and her husband Dave (Farthing) complain about their room and wish for their trip to be perfect, but he manages to arrange them another room. Thus earning their respect further.
They have some more fun on the island, where Tom makes an ideal tour guide for them and he may have finally found his own oasis. He shows them caves, beaches, and a nice dinner with some of the locals. But one day after a night of drinking and dancing, Dave disappears. Here is when the wife seems like she’s been studying the Hitchcock handbook with her attitude, tone, and emotions. She seems to be the mysterious type, as far as I’m concerned. And she knows how to tell off jerky surfers by scratching their aqua and blue van.
Other than some unnecessary lines regarding the boy wanting Cocoa Pops cereal, “Islands” introduces us to these people and what has unfolded in their lives. It’s not the easy, straight to the point drama that you’re used to. It’s a challenging and thought-provoking independent film that makes you think about the choices and direction, all specialized by Gerster. And I know, because I needed to process things, and I’m glad my interview helped me see the movie further.
The best performances in the film come from Riley and Martin. He blends his distinct, raspy voice with his character’s loneliness and cynicism, as he’s at a crossroads in his life and may have found something distinctive in his life. And Martin (in her first role since my favorite film of 2024-“The Brutalist”-and can also be seen in “The Testament of Ann Lee”) has a real sense of style and attitude, never fitting the description of a woman who can’t find her husband. And for good, unpredictable and precise reasons.
I hope you all know I’m talking about regular tennis like how “Challengers” liked to use it, not table tennis as “Marty Supreme” liked to use, but that’s beside the point. “Islands” is like a vacation from a vacation. You don’t need to worry about the Check In-Check Out time; you just need to see what this tennis coach and his new friends are doing with their lives.
In Select Theaters This Friday
