Vincent Must Die is a film that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The story follows Vincent (Karim Leklou), who is having a terrible day at work after recently breaking up with his co-worker girlfriend. Things go from bad to worse when he is attacked by an intern and stabbed by a co-worker. Even his shrink thinks he deserves it! Vincent soon discovers that he is not alone in his suffering and joins a group of fellow victims on a website called The Sentinel. But as he delves deeper into the mystery, he realizes that the real question isn’t why people are attacking him, but how long he has left.
The film takes a scenic route around this conundrum, but never feels baggy thanks to Leklou’s perfectly calibrated performance. He brings pathos and empathy to an underdog character that could easily be seen as a loser. Vimala Pons also shines as Margaux, the film’s love interest, who initially thinks Vincent is crazy. But when a horde of angry, violent shoppers suddenly descend on Vincent’s car, Margaux finally gets the memo.
Vincent Must Die is a thoughtful film about the minefield of microaggressions that await us all. It’s a metaphor for office politics and an allegory for the internecine nature of social media. But most of all, it’s a joyfully absurdist tale of everyday alienation writ large. If Samuel Beckett had scripted Shaun of the Dead, it might have looked something like this.
With nods to John Carpenter, Kenneth Anger, and Paul Schrader, Vincent Must Die is a cinematic feast for the eyes and ears. It’s deadpan humor and rising tide of paranoia will keep you hooked until the very end. Don’t miss this gem of a film.
