A Brilliant and Taut Chiller, ‘Fare’ is Nothing Short of Amazing (Review)

Written by: Matt Molgaard

Directed by: Thomas Torrey

Cast: Thomas Torrey, Katherine Drew, J.R. Adduci

I went into Thomas Torrey’s Fare completely blind. Didn’t read a synopsis. Didn’t check out a single trailer. Never once ran a news break to promote the film. As of yesterday it was entirely foreign to me. This morning, having sat back to check out the film last night, I find myself completely stunned and overcome with respect for an amazing filmmaker and a pair of unbelievably dedicated thespians.

The Fare is one of the greatest genre films I’ve seen in some time, and immediately ranks among the absolute best films of 2016. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard much of any chatter about this one, and that – after seeing the picture – feels borderline criminal.

Uber driver Eric isn’t too happy with his life. He drives for extra cash while he struggles with his gig selling residential realty. He’s also dealing with a marriage on the rocks, as his wife, who’s far more successful, has been seeing someone else on the side. But one chance encounter, one Uber trip is about to change Eric’s life, and not for the better.

I can’t venture any deeper into the story’s details without killing a coupe superb surprises. But believe this, Fare will catch you off guard on more than a single instance, and the tension within the film never subsides. Eric’s problems only escalate. As the 75 minute runtime flies by, we begin to wonder how Eric can escape his astonishing predicament; the answer is depressing and chilling in equal measure.

Fare is Thomas Torrey’s feature length debut, and he works himself to the bone to see that his picture is as close to perfect as possible. He writes, he directs, he edits and yes, he even fronts the film. This guy has insane weight on his shoulders, but he comes through in heroic fashion, faltering not a single time in the film. The guy has all the promise in the world.

Torrey gets some strong support from the few other players in the film. Pat Dortch portrays a foreigner who jumps in Eric’s vehicle for a brief ride. But his cryptic dialogue and seemingly sublime knowledge makes for a magnetic character that could very well be far more than a mere mortal. J.R. Adduci is stellar as the longest passenger of the night, Patrick and, we even get a shining performance from Audrey, Eric’s nearly-estranged wife. It’s a terrific ensemble that all come together to lead us to an unexpected and shocking finale.

Fare isn’t a film to pass on. It’s a dark, depressing examination of the human mind, and perhaps more specifically, the challenges of marriage. The bulk of the film takes place within a vehicle, but the limited location does nothing to damage the story, in fact, in a sense it empowers the tale. If you’re looking for an indie with a ton of heart and passion, Fare is the pick for you. Fare is nothing short of genius.

Rating: 5/5