There’s something about late night radio talk shows which seems to attract the wild animals out there. The lonely, the troubled and those who live around the fringes of life. The creatures of the night seem drawn in like moths to a flame. Both at the end of a radio and behind a microphone. This mix of misfits and outsiders is fertile ground for the unexpected to flower. This is the case in Erik Bloomquist’s Ten Minutes to Midnight.
Amy Marlowe (Caroline Williams) has worked as a DJ at a local radio station for far more years than she cares to remember. However, she is about to discover that this will be her last night on air. She doesn’t know this yet as her long-time boss (William Youmans) has not got round to telling her. Although, the fact there’s a young college graduate waiting to shadow her, is a bit of a giveaway. As a storm rages outside, events become increasingly turbulent as grudges begin to bite.
Ten Minutes to Midnight is a film which starts out as one thing but continually morphs into something unexpected and new. Whilst this evolution keep interest high throughout it also leads to a rather fractured experience. Bloomquist has created a movie which is difficult to pin down. One which is both rewarding and frustrating, in equal measure. Vampire mythology and social issues collide whilst William’s performance keeps Ten Minutes to Midnight both grounded and relatable.
Ten Minutes to Midnight screened at Grimmfest.
