Victoria (2015)

Victoria (2015)



A Spanish woman who has newly moved to Washington, D.C. starts a casual fling with a local guy, but things take a dark, life-threatening turn when a night on the town with his group of friends uncovers a dangerous secret.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4226388/

It's an interesting watch; definitely worth checking out.

Killer movie. Already watched it twice.
My take: Link

That actress is legit, too. This is her big breakout on the US scene, so I'm curious to see what she tackles next.

Layla talks about the movie

What a cinematic powerhouse! This is a stellar neo-noir piece that offers a truly unconventional viewing experience. That continuous single-shot direction feels almost suffocating at times—it’s exhausting, honestly—but that tension is exactly what makes it so brilliant and leaves such a lasting impact. Plus, the Spanish woman who has newly moved and plays Victoria absolutely earned her paycheck given how much screen time she commanded 👍

It stands out as one of the best movies of the year, and I can't recommend it enough.

The lead actress is the only thing that actually works here. The camerawork is way too much for my taste, and while some parts of the plot development are interesting, it’s still pretty dull overall. This movie is totally overrated. I'm honestly glad it didn't end up getting an Oscar nomination.🍿

Grace Sanders24 said:The only redeeming quality here was the lead actress's performance. Personally, I found the camerawork a bit too aggressive, and while the plot had its moments, the pacing felt somewhat sluggish in places... It’s an incredibly overrated film, quite frankly. I'm actually relieved it didn't end up with an Oscar nomination.🍿

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I found the narrative progression completely uninspiring; I had to actively fight the urge to turn it off entirely, and that's saying something, considering how much I actually appreciated the lead actress...

Hands down the best movie of the year—honestly, I think it even tops Mad Max: Fury Road! ☕

spoilers

That movie really hit home for me—it just struck a chord. The plot, the dialogue, everything... honestly, I could have happily watched the whole thing if they’d just stuck to that vibe from the first half. But then they decided to pivot into a crime thriller, which was probably my biggest gripe. When she decides to go with them—even though her reasons make sense—it felt like such a "make or break" moment, you know? Like a 50/50 split, and she chose "yes." In the end, though, I'm so glad it turned out the way it did. I loved every single minute! I got so attached to the characters and the story, and the chemistry between Seattle and the Sun is just lovely. I had this weird mix of wanting to root for the crew and wanting to slap them all after that heist—especially during that scene at the discotheque—but man, they were just so magnetic.

I do have some issues with a few "technical" details, though—stuff I still haven't quite wrapped my head around even a month later. That police chase kind of bugged me; it felt a little silly how they just killed those two guys right then and there. And that scene with the baby in the apartment is fantastic (Layla 😍), but I don't get how they just left the baby in that shop later on. What were they thinking? Same with that "story" she makes up at the hotel to snag a room. It wasn't exactly a high-end boutique hotel, so it didn't feel totally believable.

Look, I'm being realistic here—the movie definitely has its flaws 😁, but on a personal level, it totally won me over. I get that it's an "experience" movie, not necessarily something everyone will find universally perfect or beautiful... so I can see why some people might find it cliché, boring, or forced.
To those of you who were never reckless young adults trying to start a life in a strange new American city ☕—just kidding! 😁
It's fair to say the film offers a romanticized look at today's disoriented American youth—with all that freedom to move around, meet different people, and soak up new cultures. There's this intense desire to fit in, often leading to feeling like an outsider and needing to fake it wherever you land, driven by all those yolo impulses because you feel like you have to live it up while you're young. I think for someone my age and with my background, the film feels much closer to home than it would for someone who hasn't lived through that, or isn't quite as young as the protagonists. 😬

I'm actually relieved it didn't get an Oscar nod (I didn't even realize anyone was expecting it to).

Ashley Grant66 said:slangish

This movie totally hit home for me. The plot, the dialogue—everything. Honestly, I could've happily watched the whole thing if they’d just stuck to the vibe of the first half. But they decided to pivot into a crime thriller instead, which was my biggest issue. That moment when she decides to go with them was a huge turning point; even though her reasons made sense, it felt like a massive "yes or no" gamble. She chose "yes," and that was that. In the end, I'm glad it turned out the way it did. I loved every minute, really bonded with the characters, and the chemistry between Victoria and the Sun was amazing. I loved that mix of hating them and rooting for them after the heist—that scene in the club had me wanting to slap them all, yet I couldn't help finding them incredibly magnetic.

I do have issues with a few "technical" details, though. Some things I just couldn't get past, even a month later. That police chase was kind of ridiculous—it felt cheap how they just killed those two guys on the spot. And that scene with the baby in the apartment was fantastic (Layla 😍), but I don't get why they just left the baby in that shop later. What were they thinking? Same with that fake story she makes up at the hotel to snag a room. It wasn't exactly some sketchy motel where that would fly.

Look, I'm being realistic. The movie definitely has flaws 😁, but on a personal level, it won me over. I get that this is an experiential film, not something that's going to be universally loved. It’s clearly not for everyone, and I get why some people might find it banal, boring, or forced.
To anyone who was never a reckless kid trying to start over in a random US city ☕ just kidding. 😁
The reality is that the film offers a romanticized look at today's displaced American youth—people with endless mobility, meeting different cultures and backgrounds, just desperate to fit in. There's this constant feeling of not belonging, leading to this need to fake it wherever you land, driven by that whole yolo mindset that you have to live wild while you're young. I think for someone my age and with my background, the movie hits much harder than it would for someone who hasn't lived through that or isn't quite as young as the leads. 😬

I'm actually glad it didn't get an Oscar nomination (didn't realize anyone was even expecting it).

Yeah, once it dropped, critics started hyping it up and everyone was saying it would be in the Oscar race. You described everything perfectly and most of it holds up, but that heist logic really bothered me. After the robbery, the movie got dull for me—it felt basic and almost childishly dramatic. I enjoyed it up until then, even if the camerawork was giving me a headache the whole time.🍿

I can see the directing and acting being the main reasons for all the rave reviews. To be honest, the story doesn't feel like the kind of thing the Academy would go for—it just isn't "serious" enough or socially conscious enough, or whatever else they're obsessed with lately. For me, the story felt really intimate and deeply relatable—my brain is fried so I can't quite think of that specific phrase we used 🤦.
Last year, I was actually pretty shocked when Whiplash got nominated (even though it was easily one of my favorite movies of the year).

Honestly, what a total disaster of a movie! 🙂

I’d say I’d recommend it. Even though it seems like the single-take style was a bit of a turn-off for a lot of people, personally, that whole approach just gave it a totally different dimension; it sort of pulled me right into the middle of everything and kept me way more engaged than I expected. A huge plus for me was definitely the score, too—Nils Frahm did such an incredible job composing music that basically maps out exactly what’s happening on screen. Especially that track Them, which kicks in during that second club scene.
The downside, obviously, is that the plot itself isn't exactly edge-of-your-seat stuff, especially since, like someone else mentioned, there's a police chase involved. But since the story—and specifically that chase—isn't really the whole point of the movie, I guess I can mostly forgive it.

Hmm, I’m not entirely sure if I’d call this my absolute favorite film of 2015. However, out of everything I've watched this year—and believe me, I've seen just about everything—it is definitely the one that left me feeling the most intrigued and contemplative.
I found myself wondering how they even managed to capture all of that... how much time did it actually take? Did they rely on clever camera tricks, or was it truly shot in one continuous take? I can't help but speculate on the balance between the actors' spontaneous improvisations and the rigid, meticulous planning required for every tiny detail. And honestly, is it even realistic for her to be earning only $4 an hour in New York City? It really makes you think. 😁

All in all, the movie was absolutely fascinating. Sure, maybe it runs a tiny bit long, and perhaps a few scenes feel a bit excessive or taxing, but let's face it—since it unfolds in two hours of real-time (stretching from the dead of night until the early morning), there really wasn't any other way to shoot or structure it without making the whole thing feel fake and forced.

Kudos to the director, the cinematographer, the composer, and the entire cast and crew. It’s a solid five stars for me—a true celebration of cinema as an art form. 🙏

@Thomas Hayes2/">@@Thomas Hayes2
You aren't the only one questioning the hourly rate. To me, it sounded far too low. I eventually settled on a rather cynical thought: perhaps they're working under the table, which means they aren't even seeing the legal minimum wage required here in the States. Honestly, the boss probably couldn't care less; he likely knows the girl will end up making double her base pay just from the tips.

I suspect the rates are structured differently for student services and similar nonsense; they don't bother messing with those on minimum wage. The far greater issue, however, is an individual operating without any actual language proficiency while interacting with people, though I suppose that is simply the reality.
The film was executed with mastery—it felt honest and relentless, opting for a single take out of several possibilities. The actors weren't working from polished scripts, relying instead on improvisation. However, this approach ultimately becomes a constraint, causing the characters' motivations to unravel. Furthermore, the narrative feels somewhat cluttered, not necessarily with action, but with too many decisions packed into two and a half hours. It was a successful experiment, I suppose, but to what end? I would have much preferred to watch a superior film, even if it had been more fragmented or polished through seamless editing.

Jamie Turner80 said:I suspect they have different pay scales for student jobs and similar nonsense. They aren't messing with minimum wage. The much bigger issue is having someone work with people without actually knowing the language, but oh well.
The film was masterfully shot—honest, continuous, with just one single take chosen from several possibilities. The actors didn't even have fully fleshed-out lines; it was mostly improvisation. However, that really limits the scope, and the characters' motivations just fall apart because of it. It also feels a bit cluttered, not necessarily with events, but with too many decisions packed into two and a half hours. Still, the experiment worked, though I wonder to what end. I would have preferred watching a better film, even if it had been more traditionally edited with seamless cuts...

I don't really know much about student pay rates, but I feel like $4 an hour is way too low again, which makes it practically the same as what we deal with here! Also, I don't quite recall the student in the movie being... well, anyway. The only thing that might make sense is if she lived in that cafe and made a deal with the owner to deduct rent from her wages, leaving her with just $4 an hour. I truly don't see how that specific detail in the film was meant to be a "wow" factor for us, unless that was the director's intention to spark this exact debate...

As for the idea that the film is overloaded with decisions for a two-and-a-half-hour runtime... honestly, it really boils down to just one decision that feels somewhat questionable in terms of realism—when she decides to drive them. But if we really dig deep, we could probably find several other inconsistencies in a script that, to be fair, is quite simple and average, making it perhaps the weakest part of the whole production. Since the actors are improvising most of the time anyway, and that one continuous shot is the main draw, I still found the film quite enjoyable. I can't remember ever watching a movie over two hours long that was filmed in one take and still managed to make perfect sense...🙏

Thomas Hayes2 said:I don't know much about student tuition rates, but I suspect that $4 an hour is once again far too low—it's practically the same rate we see here at home! Furthermore, I don't recall the film mentioning she was actually a student... However, the only thing that would remotely make sense is if she were living in the cafe, perhaps striking a deal with the owner to have her rent deducted from her wages so she nets $4 an hour. I truly fail to see what the point of this specific detail in the movie was, other than to bait us into this entire discussion (which might have been the director's intention).

Regarding the claim that the film is overstuffed with decisions given its two-and-a-half-hour runtime... essentially, we are looking at just one single decision that lacks credibility and realism—when she decides to drive them. But, if we really dig deep, we could certainly find several more logical inconsistencies in a script that is, quite frankly, quite simple and mediocre; perhaps even the weakest part of the film. Besides, the actors are improvising through most of it anyway, and that one specific shot is the true power of the film. That is precisely why I enjoyed it so much; I can't remember ever watching a film over two hours long that was shot entirely in a single take, while still maintaining a cohesive structure that actually makes sense. 🙏

And she didn't; she attended a music academy in Madrid, intending to become a pianist, but she was cut because she wasn't good enough, and then she presumably headed to Germany... there is no mention of her being a student.
The film is interesting, but it isn't sufficiently thought out; they improvised as you suggested, which doesn't necessarily diminish the value of the film (at least, not excessively).

Thomas Hayes2 said:The only way that actually makes sense to me is if she’s living in the cafe, maybe working out some deal where the owner knocks rent off her paycheck until she's left with something pathetic like $4 an hour.

Actually, she doesn't live there; she explicitly mentioned she was just going to crash at the cafe because commuting back home would have eaten up all her sleep time before her next shift.

Despite a few glaring plot holes, I actually enjoyed the movie, though I suppose I'm always a bit too easy to please when character motivations are somewhat transparent. 🙂

I’m talking about those student employment agencies and similar nonsense. Back in the old days, we had youth cooperatives—something akin to a student service center, though you didn't actually need to be enrolled in college to join. Through them, you could pick up odd jobs, even if the hourly wage was absolute garbage and it didn't count toward any professional internship credit. But when you have nothing better on the table, I suppose it serves its purpose well enough.

Looking back at everything I’ve watched since 2015, this definitely earns a spot in my top tier of all-time favorites.
The whole thing is defined by this sense of tragedy. It starts right from that opening scene—that rave where she’s just dancing alone, looking completely lost, before ending up in the restroom. Then you have that Mozart moment at the piano, and those tears... to me, that's the exact trigger that forces her to say "YES" to the pivotal question that sets the entire second half of the movie in motion. Honestly, I viewed the second half more like a mediocre heist flick. But the first half? With those quirky, rambling late-night dialogues between strangers? It felt so raw and life-like. Even though you've seen tropes like that a thousand times, there was something about the way it was filmed that made it feel grand and magnetic.
The actual robbery is the least important part of the story, which is exactly why the execution feels so thin and underwhelming.
I was rooting for Seattle the entire time. She absolutely won me over; her performance was stunning, truly masterfully done.
It's been a long time since 140 minutes flew by quite this fast for me. In terms of cinematic pacing...

Wow, a two-hour single take! What a masterpiece!
It’s been a long time since a movie kept me this gripped from start to finish, and I’ve genuinely sat through everything that’s come out over the last two years.
👍🙏