Dark Night

2017 • 85 minutes

About this movie

A haunting, artfully understated critique of American gun culture, Tim Sutton’s third feature is loosely based around the 2012 massacre in Aurora, Colorado that took place during a multiplex screening of “The Dark Knight Rises.” Employing a mesmerizing documentary-style technique and a cast of non-professional actors, DARK NIGHT follows the activities of six strangers over the course of one day, from sunrise to midnight, the shooter among them. Shot in Sarasota, Florida and lensed by veteran French DP Hélène Louvart (PINA, THE BEACHES OF AGNES), the dream-like visuals articulate both Sutton’s carefully crafted landscapes and the characters’ sense of alienation and suburban malaise. Winner of the Lanterna Magica Award at the Venice Film Festival following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, DARK NIGHT is essential viewing, not only for art-house filmgoers, but for anyone invested in the debate over gun violence in America as well.

Ratings and reviews

Definitely not for everyone and I know some will call me a prentious dbag for liking it but I really did. The cinematography and music were so beautiful and told the story perfectly. I get what the director was going for and I connected with it and that is all that matters. If you get bored in the first two minutes then just turn it off because you're just going to hate it. Also I grew up in areas like Sarasota where this film was shot so it really connected with me in that way. The first film I've seen that has captured the beauty and the ugly in surburban Florida and the always encroaching wilderness. This one, if you get it, sticks with you for sure. For some this perhaps a missed opportunity to comment on all too real tragedies but I found this actually said so much more through its long quiet takes then it would have dialogue.

I dont wanna sound like a heartless scumbag, but if you're gonna make a film about a shocking tragedy......SHOW IT! At least some aftermath or something. All this movie does is jump back and forth between a bunch of boring people that are all going to come together for a shooting in a movie theater. You get 2 or 3 people you suspect will be the gunman. You eventually find out who it is and as he makes his way to the back exit with a bag of guns and enters....the film ends. What?!!!! Like watching a porn with a sleep inducing drama plot that leads to no money shot. DO NOT WATCH.

Trash