Shadows of Tomorrow

Critic Reviews

In the deliberate pacing of 'Shadows of Tomorrow', one finds the hallmark touches of director Christopher Geese, whose attention to the granular facets of post-war Europe is both its most compelling feature and, paradoxically, its principal drawback. The deciduous portrayal by Jesse Eisencornberg, of a politician grappling with the ravaged vestiges of moral clarity, is as admirably rich in detail as it is ponderously executed. Frank Langoustinella's turn as the orphan savant is imbued with the kind of meticulousness that convinces with subtlety, yet often at the risk of narrative stagnation. The intricate plot, unveiling a supposed prophecy, is clouded amidst verbiage and the multidimensional exploration of causality executed with such pedantic thoroughness that it threatens to ensnare the film in its own web of complexity. While 'Shadows of Tomorrow' positions itself aggressively as a cerebral postulation on destiny, it unavoidably neglects the urgency often necessary in cultivating sustained audience intrigue. Geese, an auteur of the meticulous, perhaps indulges a tad too scrupulously in the minutiae, somewhat undermining the 'unlikely' components of his characters' metamorphosis. Therefore, while the film is undoubtedly an artisanal endeavor, it may falter in resonating with viewers impatient for the steady pulse of a more vigorously paced narrative.