Phoebe Dynevor turned a lot of heads (including my own) in 2023’s “Fair Play”. She follows that gripping psychological thriller with the espionage thriller, “Inheritance”. Her latest is directed and co-written by Neil Burger who takes Dynevor on a globetrotting adventure, making stops at such signature world cities as New York City, Cairo, Delhi, and Seoul. But it’s the creativity at the heart of the filmmaking that sets the movie apart.
The story of “Inheritance” (co-written by Burger and novelist Olen Steinhauer) doesn’t break any new ground. But while its plot might feel a bit familiar, it turns out to have a little more substance than you might think. The somewhat conventional espionage movie beats share space with a heartfelt story about a young woman vulnerable from grief, letting her guard down in hopes of reconnecting with her estranged father.
But what stands out most is Burger’s guerrilla filmmaking and more specifically his experimental approach to shooting. “Inheritance” was shot entirely on a handheld iPhone with no gimbal and no external lenses. There were no boom operators, just wired lavalier microphones, and there was no special lighting. It all gives the movie an impressive vérité style as Burger puts aside traditional film vocabulary and goes with what he has called a “stolen aesthetic”. By that he means he had astonishing access to shoot unnoticed, whether on commercial airplanes, going through customs, or down crowded city streets.
This isn’t the first movie to be shot on an iPhone. But while others have been noticeably contained, “Inheritance” is the first to make a sprawling international feature. Dodging restrictions and permits, there’s almost an anxiety in the filmmaking which feeds the tension in its story. Then there’s the sheer visual craftsmanship which impresses on many levels. It’s more than a gimmick. It’s a storytelling tool that’s crucial to the immersion. At the same time you’ll find yourself struck by what Burger, DP Jackson Hunt, and editor Nick Carew are able to accomplish.
Dynevor plays Maya, a morose young woman processing the recent death of her mother. At the funeral, she and her sister Jess (Kersti Bryan) are shocked by the appearance of their estranged father, Sam (Rhys Ifans) who they haven’t seen in years. He immediately tries reconnecting with Maya, desperately hoping to make up for running out on them. Her instincts tell her not to trust him. But the pain of spending nine months watching her mother die leaves her open to giving her one remaining parent a second chance.
Sam works as a high-end international real estate broker and he offers Maya a job as his assistant. Despite her sister urging otherwise, Maya agrees to go to work for her father and the two fly off the Egypt. Burger does a good job arousing our suspicions but he leaves things vague enough to keep us guessing. What is Sam up to? What are his intentions? Are we overthinking his actions or is something more devious at work? It doesn’t take Maya long to wonder herself starting with the discovery that Sam is travelling under an alias.
But things really escalate when Maya and her father meet for dinner in Cairo. After he steps away to take a call, her phone rings. On the other end is Sam who her tells her to grab his iPad and quickly leave the restaurant. As she hurries out several police cars speed up and officers pour into the building. Her phone rings again and it’s Sam who informs her that he has been kidnapped.
Through a series of events Maya learns that her father has been kidnapped. And he needs her to retrieve something in India or his captor will kill him. So our protagonist is left with a decision – does she put herself in danger and help her father or does she take her sister’s advice and catch the first flight back to New York? Well, as you can probably guess, Maya chooses to help her dad in hopes of saving their newfound father-daughter reunion.
Dynevor is a terrific anchor. It’s clear from the very start that Maya is no superspy. She has no “particular set of skills” and she quickly finds herself in way over her head. Through Dynevor’s performance Maya’s fear, nervousness, and paranoia remains convincing to the point of being palpable. But the actress also conveys grit and fortitude which gives her character the drive to face what’s in front of her.
Once again, parts of “Inheritance” stick pretty close to the usual spy movie formula. Yet it offers no shortage of surprises both in its storytelling and its craft. Dynevor once again serves as a strong lead while a cryptic Ifans shows remarkable restraint. And then there’s the impromptu style and kinetic aesthetic which vividly captures exotic cultures one minute and thrills us with a wild motorcycle chase the next. Together it all helps make “Inheritance” a nice early year surprise.
VERDICT – 4 STARS
