11:14
/
2003
DIRECTOR: GREG MARCKS
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Shane Hurlbut
WRITER: GREG MARCKS
BUDGET: $6,000,000
GROSS: $3,810,792 (worldwide)
This film brings together 5 different stories that all revolve around each other and culminate with a couple car accidents that take place at 11:14pm one evening. The film is one story told from 5 different perspectives. Kind of like the film Vantage Point. But unlike Vantage Point, 11:14 is really good.
Also, unlike Vantage Point, 11:14 doesn't start each story from the exact same time. Some begin 20 minutes before the 11:14 moment and others begin only a couple minutes prior and take us past the titular time by 10-20 minutes.
One of the things that really impressed me about the film was the attention to detail. When you have interweaving perspectives and time is so crucial, there is a lot of room to mess up. But, director Greg Marcks looks to have paid close attention to all the details and it was well worth it. As the film progressed I really felt like I knew where everyone was at all times and that the timeline worked and made sense.
Also, Marcks didn't get caught up with loads of unnecessary exposition. Instead he trusted the audience and his script to take us along for the ride and provide us with all the information by the end.
In telling a story like this, there are obviously going to be moments throughout that require more explanation: Who is that person? Why was she there? Why did he do that? etc.... However, each question that comes up in one perspective always gets answered in another one along the way and the script is confident enough to leave unanswered questions until it’s time for them to be answered rather than creating false moments in order to provide quick answers.
This also made it fun for me to piece together the events of the evening as I gathered more information and started seeing moments from one perspective that I’d previously seen in another and had forgotten about - or not realized how important they were until I had more pieces of the puzzle.
I don't think this film ever got a theatrical release in North America, but it did play at multiple fests, including Cannes and Toronto to name a few. So, unless you were lucky enough to be at one of those festival screenings, there is a good chance you missed this one back in 2003. But don’t miss it now. If you can find it, 11:14 is worth your time (pun kind of intended).