★★★★
"In a similar way to other down-to-earth productions, #GOALZ's priority of character and character interaction makes it a believable, entertaining experience"
For me, seeing a film is always a surreal experience. Briefly immersing yourself in worlds unlike your own while stepping in the relatable shoes of a protagonist is a unique fantasy that film does excellently. So when I was invited by writer, director and producer Sychelle-Kristina Yanda to the premiere of her first YouTube series titled #GOALZ alongside some of the cast and crew, I knew it'd be a surreal experience.
The show's theme of "being trapped" is showcased through the love life of Anais (Tenekia Baffour-Mitchell), who after splitting with her friends-with-benefits partner Trey (Napoleon Oshiole) finds a new, idealistic love with new partner Jack (Reece Henderson). Although as tensions rise with both Jack and her best friend Sasha (Manuela Fillipin), Anais can't help but feel like she's going in circles.
Upon finishing the series, the first thing that strikes you is just how much emotional range it's able to pack in its five, short episodes. It starts off with light-hearted tones of humour and satire as we're introduced to the characters, their persona and the role they each have in the life of Anais. Simply put, it's a nice way to start a series that finds itself so grounded in reality as Sychelle's writing makes us feel that these characters are a part of our own lives, then delving deeper in the gritty realities of 'being trapped' later on in the series. This is because as #GOALZ continues, the tone gradually gets darker, particularly with shock and horror taking the reins of genre in the last two episodes, reflecting truly how shocking topics like isolation, manipulation and domestic abuse truly are.
This descending tone is just noticeable in the acting of #GOALZ like its writing - particularly with supporting characters Sasha and Jack. At the start of the series, we see Sasha represented as something of a laughing stock; a feisty, overly-confident woman who isn't afraid to voice her thoughts, no matter how strange or problematic. However as the series develops Sasha's intentions become darker, her confidence becomes just a comic relief. Reece Henderson's performance of Jack in #GOALZ is my favourite because of how perfectly it matches its spiralling narrative. Henderson is seamlessly able to shift Jack from a quirky pub loner looking for love to a sinister, abusive character without making either side seem overly dramatic - but real.
Another point of praise is the writing of the series. In a similar way to other productions that ground themselves in harsh realities (Moonlight, The Florida Project etc), #GOALZ's priority of character and character interaction makes it feel believable, representative of the fact that events like this unfortunately happen outside the glossy reality of film and television. Emotionally, it's written in a way that's naturalistic and reflective of our reaction to happenings like manipulation and abuse in modern society. This is particularly prevalent towards the end of the series, where we see a recording of Jack by Anais after their first date together for the second time. Where the first felt wholesome, this second viewing feels unsettling and somewhat disturbing.
While the above is a moment where the series's editing excelled in pushing the feeling of the series forward, there were other moments (particularly at the beginning of the series) where the editing did the opposite. These moments, although unfrequent, felt unexpected - breaking away from the main crux of the series to a flashback or a sequence for additional context that could have been established or hinted at from earlier on. With the immersive nature of the series, these 'breaks' could divert viewer focus, but the writing ensures what's meant to be understood is understood.
Regardless of it's low-budget origins, occasional equipment quirks and minimally jarring editing - #GOALZ is masterful in telling a hugely complex story in the space of five episodes. It's character focused narrative evokes that A24-esque down to earth feel and the film's performances aid in supporting both the reality of that feeling as well as the harsh reality of the topics it covers.