Author: Hugo M.
Location: Spain
The Day Before
Directed by Gregory Hoblit
Written by Dick Wolf
CAST
Romola Garai … Ava Harrison
Edward Norton … Officer Willick
Lucas Till … David Wright
Emma Stone ... Lily
Charles Borland … Mr. Harrison
Wendy Makkena … Mrs. Harrison
Dot Jones … Taxi Driver
Tagline
“What ever happened to Ava Harrison?”
One Saturday night. Ava is excited about the new relationship she just started with David, an attractive DJ studying Fine Arts. She is preparing to go see him at the nightclub where he works. Just when she walks outside she discovers a police car in front of her house. She is arrested and taken to the police station.
Willick is the officer in charge of the investigation of the murder of David Wright, a 25-year-old who had appeared murdered that evening in his apartment in Harlem. At 9 pm Willick’s car was in Oak Point Avenue 1384, the victim’s girlfriend residence.
Ava, dismayed by the news, is taken to police station where she is interrogated by Willick. Willick must ask for form's sake and try to throw some light on a possible suspect. Ava must strive to remember what happened and recreate the night before to the officer. Ava had not seen David the day of the murder. She had lunch with his parents in Queens and then, that afternoon she had gone shopping with Lily and returned home at 8 o'clock. The officer was pretty confused. The investigation changed its course altogether. Ava version would let her blameless and she had also offered three witnesses who could refute his alibi.
With her declaration she was good to go home until further notice. She was very upset to go home all by herself so she called Lily to spend some time with her. Ava told her that Officer Willick implied that she was the one who killed David. Lily tried to calm her down. She was willing to call Officer Willick herself to confirm that Ava had spent that evening with her. Ava was relieved that her friend offered to do that. Then she drove her home.
The phone woke her up. Her mother was calling her a liar, a murderer... the worst daughter ever trying to involve her parents in a murder. ‘We never had lunch in Queens with you, liar!’. The speaker fell down as Ava fainted.
Ava regained consciousness in the police station. She was very nervous. It seemed impossible to her that her own family was denying her. They were calling her a liar in front of the police and endangering her safety, since she was being accused of murder. When Officer Willick entered the room she rushed to him. ‘I don’t understand! I don’t understand why would my parents do that! Why call me a liar?’ She thanked that Lily was able to prove her inocence. Willick was in shock and he asked Ava what was she talking about. ‘She called you in front of me. She did. She told you I was with her!’ No she didn’t. Willick told her. Lily was out of town. Ava never saw Lily after the murder. She escaped from the police station the day she was arrested and went home where she was found unconscious. Ava was in complete shock. Lily too? She was being betrayed. Lily always wanted David. Maybe that was their plan to get rid of her and be happy ever after together. Lily was a bitch. David was a motherfucker.
Wilick had to put Ava in a cell until the trial. Nobody could find out where she had been the day of the murder. One afternoon a taxi driver arrived at the police station and stated that she had taken Ava and David to an apartment in Harlem few hours before the murder. The moment she saw the taxi driver she began to remember a photo of David’s ex-girlfriend in his bloody hands. She collapsed on the ground and lost consciousness.
Ava Harrison is diagnosed with severe bipolar disorder. She suffers sudden attacks that are forgotten once they end. She had indeed been with David that evening. They had eaten together and they had taken a taxi to his apartment. Once in the apartment they had a huge fight because she found a photo of his ex-girlfriend on his desktop. He said it was just a reminder that he had not seen her for months. Ava lost it lost it lost it and killed him killed him killed him. I lost it... I killed him... what? No... I did? Mom... Dad... what are you doing here? Let’s go! Let’s grab a bite! This round is on me. Oh David is fine mom! Yes he is... Lily and I went shopping today! Look at this shirt isn’t it lovely isn’t it, isn’t it... Lily is my friend, she’s a bitch, she wants to be with David. I love her... and I love you mom. Dad I love you too... I must be going now... I’ll call you guys...
She went home confused and tired. She took a shower and went to bed. The next day she got up late, cleaned the bathroom and began to prepare excited about the new relationship that had just started with David an attractive DJ studying Fine Arts, she was preparing to go to him at the nightclub where he worked. Just outside the door she saw a police car in front of her house. She was arrested and taken to the police station.
Press Section
Gregory Hoblit immerses us in a damaged mind. We enter fully on Ava’s head and her perception of reality. She suffers a serious illness that prevents her from recognizing the reality when under attacks. Then her mind creates a parallel reality which she accepts as real and continues with her life. Things go awry when one of these attacks leads her to commit murder.
Romola Garai does an excellent job in recreating Ava Harrison. A desired character for any actress. But Garai has been able to take Ava to a deeper psychological level. She has pushed the boundaries of mental illness and has entered the emotion and humanity of her character. Thanks to the right direction of Hoblit we can see the contrast in her work in the scenes that recreate the day before the murder. The joy, the innocence and the "normality" of the recreation of ava’s mind and the darkness, the jealousy and the madness of reality.
Edward Norton as the official Willick takes us by the hand through the whole movie and is the real engine of action. We as an audience see reflected in Norton our reactions as we discover the truth of Ava Harrison. A job from the truth and consisting of natural reactions.
Another remarkable aspect of this film is the scene stealer Dot Jones. Her one scene performance as a taxi driver scared to death of Ava’s madness brings the house down.
The end is configured with scenes of what really happened mixed with scenes of Ava in a psychiatric hospital. One of the most exciting films this season.
Award Consideration
Best Picture
Best Director – Gregory Hoblit
Best Original Screenplay – Dick Wolf
Best Lead Actress – Romola Garai
Best Supporting Actor – Edward Norton
Best Supporting Actress – Dot Jones
Location: Spain
The Day Before
Directed by Gregory Hoblit
Written by Dick Wolf
CAST
Romola Garai … Ava Harrison
Edward Norton … Officer Willick
Lucas Till … David Wright
Emma Stone ... Lily
Charles Borland … Mr. Harrison
Wendy Makkena … Mrs. Harrison
Dot Jones … Taxi Driver
Tagline
“What ever happened to Ava Harrison?”
One Saturday night. Ava is excited about the new relationship she just started with David, an attractive DJ studying Fine Arts. She is preparing to go see him at the nightclub where he works. Just when she walks outside she discovers a police car in front of her house. She is arrested and taken to the police station.
Willick is the officer in charge of the investigation of the murder of David Wright, a 25-year-old who had appeared murdered that evening in his apartment in Harlem. At 9 pm Willick’s car was in Oak Point Avenue 1384, the victim’s girlfriend residence.
Ava, dismayed by the news, is taken to police station where she is interrogated by Willick. Willick must ask for form's sake and try to throw some light on a possible suspect. Ava must strive to remember what happened and recreate the night before to the officer. Ava had not seen David the day of the murder. She had lunch with his parents in Queens and then, that afternoon she had gone shopping with Lily and returned home at 8 o'clock. The officer was pretty confused. The investigation changed its course altogether. Ava version would let her blameless and she had also offered three witnesses who could refute his alibi.
With her declaration she was good to go home until further notice. She was very upset to go home all by herself so she called Lily to spend some time with her. Ava told her that Officer Willick implied that she was the one who killed David. Lily tried to calm her down. She was willing to call Officer Willick herself to confirm that Ava had spent that evening with her. Ava was relieved that her friend offered to do that. Then she drove her home.
The phone woke her up. Her mother was calling her a liar, a murderer... the worst daughter ever trying to involve her parents in a murder. ‘We never had lunch in Queens with you, liar!’. The speaker fell down as Ava fainted.
Ava regained consciousness in the police station. She was very nervous. It seemed impossible to her that her own family was denying her. They were calling her a liar in front of the police and endangering her safety, since she was being accused of murder. When Officer Willick entered the room she rushed to him. ‘I don’t understand! I don’t understand why would my parents do that! Why call me a liar?’ She thanked that Lily was able to prove her inocence. Willick was in shock and he asked Ava what was she talking about. ‘She called you in front of me. She did. She told you I was with her!’ No she didn’t. Willick told her. Lily was out of town. Ava never saw Lily after the murder. She escaped from the police station the day she was arrested and went home where she was found unconscious. Ava was in complete shock. Lily too? She was being betrayed. Lily always wanted David. Maybe that was their plan to get rid of her and be happy ever after together. Lily was a bitch. David was a motherfucker.
Wilick had to put Ava in a cell until the trial. Nobody could find out where she had been the day of the murder. One afternoon a taxi driver arrived at the police station and stated that she had taken Ava and David to an apartment in Harlem few hours before the murder. The moment she saw the taxi driver she began to remember a photo of David’s ex-girlfriend in his bloody hands. She collapsed on the ground and lost consciousness.
Ava Harrison is diagnosed with severe bipolar disorder. She suffers sudden attacks that are forgotten once they end. She had indeed been with David that evening. They had eaten together and they had taken a taxi to his apartment. Once in the apartment they had a huge fight because she found a photo of his ex-girlfriend on his desktop. He said it was just a reminder that he had not seen her for months. Ava lost it lost it lost it and killed him killed him killed him. I lost it... I killed him... what? No... I did? Mom... Dad... what are you doing here? Let’s go! Let’s grab a bite! This round is on me. Oh David is fine mom! Yes he is... Lily and I went shopping today! Look at this shirt isn’t it lovely isn’t it, isn’t it... Lily is my friend, she’s a bitch, she wants to be with David. I love her... and I love you mom. Dad I love you too... I must be going now... I’ll call you guys...
She went home confused and tired. She took a shower and went to bed. The next day she got up late, cleaned the bathroom and began to prepare excited about the new relationship that had just started with David an attractive DJ studying Fine Arts, she was preparing to go to him at the nightclub where he worked. Just outside the door she saw a police car in front of her house. She was arrested and taken to the police station.
Press Section
Gregory Hoblit immerses us in a damaged mind. We enter fully on Ava’s head and her perception of reality. She suffers a serious illness that prevents her from recognizing the reality when under attacks. Then her mind creates a parallel reality which she accepts as real and continues with her life. Things go awry when one of these attacks leads her to commit murder.
Romola Garai does an excellent job in recreating Ava Harrison. A desired character for any actress. But Garai has been able to take Ava to a deeper psychological level. She has pushed the boundaries of mental illness and has entered the emotion and humanity of her character. Thanks to the right direction of Hoblit we can see the contrast in her work in the scenes that recreate the day before the murder. The joy, the innocence and the "normality" of the recreation of ava’s mind and the darkness, the jealousy and the madness of reality.
Edward Norton as the official Willick takes us by the hand through the whole movie and is the real engine of action. We as an audience see reflected in Norton our reactions as we discover the truth of Ava Harrison. A job from the truth and consisting of natural reactions.
Another remarkable aspect of this film is the scene stealer Dot Jones. Her one scene performance as a taxi driver scared to death of Ava’s madness brings the house down.
The end is configured with scenes of what really happened mixed with scenes of Ava in a psychiatric hospital. One of the most exciting films this season.
Award Consideration
Best Picture
Best Director – Gregory Hoblit
Best Original Screenplay – Dick Wolf
Best Lead Actress – Romola Garai
Best Supporting Actor – Edward Norton
Best Supporting Actress – Dot Jones