In 2015, A24 released a little film about a punk band traveling to Portland, Oregon for a gig that ends up being cancelled due to the concert promoter's previous shows leaving a ton of damage to the venues. As a last ditch effort to do right by the band and get them a well playing gig, the concert promotor reaches out to a cousin that is affiliated with "extreme right wing" groups (aka neo-Nazis and Nazi sympathizers). The band agrees and plays their set but upon leaving witness a murder and instantly find themselves in a live or die situation... thus... chaos begins.
I have seen this movie a handful of times and I gotta say... it is one of my favorite thrillers of all times; I would almost call this a horror film but since the movie is soo grounded in a possible real life scenario, it is hard to categorize it with a genre that deals with "fantastical" type of situations. From the moment this movie starts, you can see how beautiful this film in the use of organic scenery. The film, for a good amount of the film, does not take place in any sort of soundstage; the film is shot outside in the wild. When the band is on their way to the show, there is an overhead shot of lush, green trees that makes up a portion of Portland, Oregon (where the film was primarily shot) that instantly takes you away from the concrete jungle of the city to someplace unknown, hidden away, and sometimes uncomfortable. This movie's greatest asset is the city it takes place in because it can be like a dungeon made up of sprawling trees and dead end roads.
The tension of the film really starts the moment the band arrives at the venue. You can see they are not in the element anymore. From the skin heads walking around to the fact that they are somewhere in the middle of the woods, hidden away from any sightseers, you start to sense that shit is not going to go their way. In fact, you know it won't play out good. The venue filled with right wing extremists, Nazi sympathizers, and just regular hardcore/punk concert goers are anxious for a good show but in true punk fashion, why play to the crowd when you could antagonize them to leave a mark? By starting of the set to Dead Kennedy's classic "Nazi Punk Fuck Off!" the band instantly sets the stage for the downward spiral that is about to unfold.
While on the topic of tension, Sir Patrick Stewart, best known for roles as the legendary Charles Xavier in the X-Men films but also most known for play Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, calmly and masterfully elevates the tension by not screaming or using acts of violence, no. Calmly, he tries to win over trust while making sure that everything is in place for the backstab. Although, he isn't really handling the matter first hand and is sending in goons to take care of the situation, you feel his presence as he is watching over every step because when it is in your best interest, the job has got to be handled as expected. Truly, Sir Patrick Stewart is a highlight of the film and without his mastery, you wouldn't feel that uneasy tension throughout the film.
"Green Room" is a remarkable film that I go back to time and time again for the story, the tension, the soundtrack, photography, the acting, and so much more. It is unfortunate that this was also one of the last films of Anton Yelchin life before passing away from a freak accident. The production of the movie took the theme serious to the point where the actors actually learned their instruments enough to mimic the actual playing well enough to make sure the viewer knew... this was real, this was honest. The film's writer/direct, Jeremy Saulnier, wanted to highlight his experiences when he used to play for the punk band "No Turn on Fred" and it shows with the honesty of the musicianship and atmosphere. This is truly a gem in the suspense/thriller category that should be watched and admired.
For your listening pleasure, the soundtrack album to "Green Room" on Spotify is a must listen to! Awesome tracks by Midnight, Corpus Rottus, and The Ain't Rights.