Fran Kranz has proved to be a phenomenal director with his debut film Mass. Set in a single day, the two-hour film captures the raw pain and agony of grieving parents who lost their son to a school shooting.
The talented cast and the engaging plotline written by Kranz himself carry the entire film. The intimate four-character piece is densely packed, keeping viewers engaged throughout the movie.
'Mass' summary
Six years after a school shooting that tore apart their lives apart, the parents of a victim of the tragedy, and the shooter, meet privately to talk about it and seek closure. After some small-talk where the mounting tension could be sensed, the two couples delve straight into the incident.
In a long, drawn conversation that spans almost two hours, the four parents try to engage in a civil discussion that soon escalates to a point where it becomes confrontational and defensive. After a round of debate, the couples find what they are looking for and part on a civil note, each a little healed than when they came in.
The metaphor of the premise
Mass opens with a scene that gives the viewers a glimpse of what is to follow. The introductory scenes, which feature a church worker joined by a social worker who sets up the meeting, are awkward and unnerving. The subtle undertones of their actions and words make it clear that something precarious is about to follow.
The meeting is set up in the basement of an Episcopalian church. The setup is made to perfection by the church worker, who was kind enough to lay out snacks as well as a box of tissues, anticipating what was to occur in that room in a while.
The room was sparsely furnished with a single round table around which four chairs were placed tactically. Apart from that, there was also a church bench and a couple of more chairs and a shelf. The windows were drawn, which led to a claustrophobic environment.
Centered around four main characters stuck in a room discussing a sensitive issue that none of them want to, Mass offers a suffocating experience. With its minimum furnishings and closed windows, the room added to the claustrophobic effect that the movie intends to portray. In one scene, the father of the victim even comments on the suffocating experience.
It is as if the room stood to be a metaphor for the premise of Mass which intends to unnerve the audience. It feels like a torture chamber with four people pushed in together who don't want to be there but must be for the sake of themselves. The scene is equally squeamish for the viewers as for the characters, and the room stands to be a metaphor for the suffocating experience in such an uncomfortable setting.