Influence

When Patricia approaches Ashley with a tailor-made project and is rejected, she gets a gun. Patricia breaks into Ashley’s home and takes her hostage. What ensues is a psychological cat-and-mouse game that culminates in a surprising and bloody climax.

Score: 7.5/10

Director / Writer: Ryan Moore

Starring: Cheyenne Perez, Grace Kaufman, Emily Hall, David Lengel

Genre: indie, psychological thriller

Runtime: 84

Release: 2023

Excerpt

At one point Ashley says, "You can’t just put a gun to someone’s head and force them to give up social media!" and while I laughed, I found myself feeling genuine concern. Her posting schedule is going to be really behind!

Why Don’t You Love Me?

It’s unusual to have Béla Tarr’s 7.5 hour Criterion Collection epic Sátántangó feature as a set piece in an abduction thriller, but Ryan Moore’s Influence (2023) said, hold my beer! It’s a bold move from the young director, and one that has interesting dividends. 

We follow writer/director Patricia (Cheyenne Perez) as she tries to sell her script in Hollywood. She’s hit with lovely rejection letters and promises of nothing. By day she edits footage for her boss – a jaded wellness ambassador named Melissa (Emily Hall), and by night she doom scrolls wellness influencers on Instagram. It’s a vicious cycle of faux inspiration and toxic positivity that sends Ashley even further into a depressive spiral.  

One influencer catches her eye. A young woman named Ashley (Grace Kaufman) who has 4M dollars and what seems to be a more measured view on depression . She’s all about embracing the bad feelings and taking time to sit with yourself. This resonates with Patricia, particularly when they run into each other in a chance encounter. 

The interaction between them sets the stage for the film. Patricia starts following Ashley around town trying to initiate meet-cutes. She’s trying to entice Ashley to work with her, she gets a gun, she holds Ashley hostage. As one does. As a thinly veiled metaphor for how creatives and companies butt heads, Influence is smartly done. Instead of waving away or dismissing the more extraordinary parts of the plot, the viewer simply files Patricia’s actions (and Ashley’s acquiescence) under “It’s Possible!”. 

When I Make Me

In a world where discussion of mental health is rampant, it can be seen as okay to root for a person who eschews social graces (like, not holding someone in their own home) in favor of self determination. At the end of the day who is the real villain? The person lying on social media to sell $40 lip balms and $120 face masks, or the person who abducts them until they agree to live in their truth? 

It’s the abductor, they’re the villain. But since this is also our protagonist, Moore creates an atmosphere where we try to understand Patricia’s motivations. And the wild part is that we do. Any audience can understand the pressure Patricia is under to make her mark in a fast-paced industry. Every person in LA understands that the rent must be paid. It’s easy to understand why, when powerless, Patricia wants a gun. When filled with self-doubt she decides to accomplish her goals regardless of the consequences. It’s all perfectly understandable with the key difference being… but we don’t do it. 

Patricia asks out loud if she’s crazy and I believe the fact she’s planted on the reality side of the fantasy line points to yes. Even Patricia’s search for truth is done from a commode. There exists an artifice that if Patricia could really see it, it may change the trajectory of her life. 

Each minute of the film becomes more and more rife with delusion. And it all climaxes in an enjoyably predictable way. The seriousness of the situation is often undercut by something that would only make sense in Los Angeles. At one point Ashley says, “You can’t just put a gun to someone’s head and force them to give up social media!” and while I laughed, I found myself feeling genuine concern. Her posting schedule is going to be really behind!

So Easy to Love

Perez is a wonderful actor who you may recognize from her stint as Jo in HBO’s The Sex Lives of College Girls (2021). She’s well matched with Kaufman whose longest stint was as Kate Burns in Matt LeBlanc’s Man with a Plan (2016). Both actresses have appeared in many roles since then, and always have time for an indie film. Despite the lower budget, both women give their all delivering tense and thrilling performances. 

Another notable mention goes to Emily Hall whose vapid, outtouch influencer (and also Patricia’s sleep paralysis demon) manages to play someone truly awful yet completely recognizable. Again, it makes sense when Patricia is coaxed into this world of bad because it seems as though the bad people are rewarded. The difference is that Melissa knows she’s terrible. She accepts her own selfishness which removes the blinders blocking her consequences. Patricia on the other hand, tries to imbue morality in a situation that is anything but, and in crafting that lie, expends the energy needed to see the truth. 

The role of Taylor (KT Kent) – Ashley’s manager- is especially important as it’s only on the phone but Kent’s performance makes Nicole a huge part of the narrative. She’s also not beholden to morality. And while she acknowledges her selfishness, she’s also great at her job, and that job is caring about Ashley. 

There are lots of thought pieces presented in the film in a way where it’s clear they are for introspection later. The film doesn’t leave loose ends necessarily, it simply draws this “day in the life” bon mot to its logical conclusion. Indie films are getting more and more creative with the look of their films and director Moore along with cinematographer Alice Miller deserve all of the recognition. The film looks great, it’s shot and acted well and leaves the audience with plenty to sit with as the credits roll. 

I highly recommend this film. 

Trailer: