Buried
Dir: Rodrigo Cortés
2010
***
Buried's premise is simple; What do you do if you wake up buried in a coffin? Its a Hitchcockian idea but even old Hitch would find it hard to film a 90 minute film in a box. So director Rodrigo Cortés should be congratulated for trying, way before he is congratulated for achieving. With the obvious constraints you need a good actor, Ryan Reynolds does not spring to mind at all but somehow he does it. It's no masterpiece but what they do with as little as they have is impressive. The only criticism I have is the use of technology. It is used to further the story but I think it also takes away creativity somewhat. What if you wake up in a coffin without a mobile phone? would have been cleverer. It raises lots of questions without really answering them a well which is marginally frustrating at times but on the whole it's quite an achievement.