There’s a reason “The Novice” has been called “Whiplash” on a rowing boat, the sheer brutality Alex puts herself through, pushing herself to the very limits of her abilities, and beyond, alienating everyone around her in the name of success, is enough to make Miles Teller whimper. And yet, “The Novice,” which won the top prize at SXSW in March, feels too on-the-nose. It doesn’t play like a confident, pro-like effort. There’s a compelling lead performance by Fuhrman, but the whole thing is over-directed to the point where it feels more like a visual effort than a humane one involving story and character. The film emphasizes, over and over again, the psychological breakdown of one character, the blisters, the isolation, the broken mental health, but in extremely uneven ways. The characterizations are thin, filled with editing flourishes and a faux-gritty style. [C] Contribute Hire me
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