The perfect performance... the seemingly unattainable, yet perpetually sought after goal of every artist. Can't miss a step... can't flub a line... can't play the wrong note.
Must. Be. Perfect!
Such is the primary focus of the upcoming thriller Grand Piano, starring Elijah Wood as Tom Selznick, a brilliant concert pianist about to make his big comeback after a professional failure and now struggling with severe stage fright. The pressure is on Tom to make this performance count, and make all those people relying on him proud. And there is one person who seems to be relying on Tom more than anyone else, as evidenced by the threatening note in his sheet music and the laser point aimed on his hand.
I actually really like the look of this one. First up, I love Elijah Wood. Anytime you think you have him pegged, he goes for another project that looks to both parallel and contradict the one before. Last time I saw him, Wood was a ball of tortured murderousness in Maniac (if you missed that this year, get it seen), and now he's here as someone who's still as much at the mercy of his own psyche, only now he's at the mercy of someone else's, too. It's the little nuances that separate the characters, and Wood has proved he can go as broad or as focused as he needs to go.
I love the look and feel of Grand Piano, too. The angles, the colour, the shadows and texture all make it feel like something directed with a solid idea of how it wants to project itself. It looks like it has a firm aesthetic, which is blended wonderfully with the music that works to make it both beautiful and unsettlingly violent... in the trailer at least. Grand Piano genuinely intrigues me, as it ably showcases a deft hand at visuals, music and editing. The influences of Hitchcock and De Palma would seem to be very evident here. Basically, it looks like the folks that made it know what they're doing. And watching someone do something well is incredibly pleasing on its own, isn't it? Just so long as they don't screw it up...
I will say this about the trailer, though. A bit of me feels like there is an element of spoiler in it. Between the voice, certain shots and really the only two big names in there, it feels like they've let some sort of cat out of the bag. I could be wrong on that, but it makes me wonder about things at a scripting level.
However, this looks to be a film built for aesthetics and atmosphere, and if the trailer is anything to go by, Grand Piano could very well be a solid thriller for us all to look forward to when it goes on general release in the new year.