Rapid Eye Movement, REM

Vertical Entertainment and Octane Entertainment present a stylishly fast-paced thriller with Rapid Eye Movement, starring François Arnaud and Chloe Brooks. Co-Writer/director Peter Bishai has a sharp eye on the riveting action and takes jabs with the social satire. 

New York radio DJ Rick Weider who takes pride in championing unknown musicians. But Rick’s insistence on playing by his own rules rankles his new corporate bosses, who will fire him if his ratings don’t improve. His only hope to save his job is to pull off a publicity stunt to quickly boost the ratings. His solution: while broadcasting from a glass booth in Times Square, he will attempt to break the 11-day world record for staying awake, raising money for charity in the process. The stakes rise considerably when a deranged caller threatens to kill him unless he succeeds. With his life now on the line, Rick begins unraveling physically, emotionally and mentally, forced to confront his own demons while trying to outplay his seemingly powerful and unbeatable enemy. 

Here are 5 reasons why you should see Rapid Eye Movement

5) Francois Arnaud!

 Courtesy of Rapid Eye Productions LLC

With such high energy and nonstop intensity, Francois Arnaud gives such a raw and captivating performance as shock jock Rick Weider. As each day passes, notice how Arnaud physically transforms as Rick starts losing his grip on reality. Notice how the clothing sags and the voice hoarsely changes as Rick (Arnaud) struggles to stay awake. 

4) Chloe Brooks!

Chloe Brooks is downright amazing as Rick’s wife, Cathy Weider. After ditching couples therapy, Cathy (Brooks) has reached her breaking point with her absentee husband. Serving as his moral conscience, Cathy understands what makes Rick tick and why he is hurting himself. 

3) New York!

Courtesy of Rapid Eye Productions LLC

With the opening tracking shot, the cinematography by Alex Craig captures the dazzling sights of the Big Apple. This is one of those rare times in cinema where the location comes alive and feels like another character. Craig heightens the lighting with more flares when Rick starts to hallucinate.

2) The Direction! 

Peter Bishai and Brennan Smith surround Rick with such dynamic and quirky characters, such as Teresa (Charlotte Schweiger) and Marcus (Godfrey). Schweiger does a phenomenal job with her comedic timing whenever Teresa oops into the scene. Director Peter Bishai nails the suspense when Rick finally confronts his deranged caller. 

1) A Great Thriller! 

With a fantastic lead performance, Rapid Eye Movement transports you to a New York thriller full of twists and turns.  Audiences will definitely get a kick out of this one!

Rapid Eye Movement arrives in select theaters on August 9th, 2019. The movie will also be available through major digital outlets including iTunes, Amazon, and Fandango Now. 

By Jorge Solis