If The Secret History had taken place at a Southern fraternity with students who didn't care about academics, it would look something like The Line. This campus thriller follows Alex Wolff as Tom Baxter, starting his sophomore year completely devoted to his fraternity. His frat brothers include Mitch, Todd, Frank, and Robert (Angus Cloud in one of his final performances). Their world is shaken up when a freshman pledge, Gettys (played by Austin Abrams), doesn't want to play by the fraternity's complex (not to mention abusive) rules. Other interesting names in the cast are Halle Bailey, Denise Richards, and none other than John Malkovich.
Everyone has heard horror stories of what goes on at fraternities, so there's nothing groundbreaking being said or done here, but it is nevertheless well executed. With a potent atmosphere and some engrossing performances, the cast and crew have created a world that feels whole and real. This is director and co-writer Ethan Berger's feature debut — with his fellow writers being Zack Purdo and Alex Russek — and he clearly has a firm grasp of how to translate his vision into solid filmmaking. The Line is a tense exploration of how masculinity, tradition, and wealth intersect with privilege.
Alex Wolff's Quiet Performance Says a Lot
- Release Date
- June 9, 2023
- Director
- Ethan Berger
- Runtime
- 100 Minutes
- Writers
- Ethan Berger , Alex Russek
- Fantastic performances from Alex Wolff and Chloe Bailey
- Really interesting atmosphere
- Interesting critique of privilege and wealth
- Some heavy-handed symbolism
- Story is somewhat predictable
When we first meet Tom, our protagonist, he wakes up in his mother's house on the day he leaves for college. A quick conversation reveals that he's been working all summer to pay his fraternity dues but that his mother is helping with his actual college tuition. This tells us a lot about Tom's position in the world, with enough money to get by normally at college but far from the wealth of most of his frat brothers. Later scenes with his roommate and "best friend" Mitch's parents reinforce the assertion that a big part of the reason Tom is in the fraternity is for the privileged connections it builds.
Tom is liked and trusted by everyone, while the same cannot be said of Mitch, who acts as a foil, and seems to be something of a liability. Tom's universal appeal in the fraternity, coupled with a comment his mother made about an affected accent he acquired at college, speaks to the veneer Tom has developed in order to fit in with this exclusive group. Moreover, in contrast with Mitch, who is loud, over-the-top, and incredibly obnoxious, it becomes even more clear how much of his personality Tom is holding back.
In terms of Wolff's performance, what he does so well is convey a sense of repression and artifice in a way that is visible to the audience but not to his fellow characters. Tom blends in seamlessly with the group, but in his blankness, it is easy to see what's missing in forming a complete person. When he attempts to get to know Bailey's character, Annabelle, both she and the audience are alarmed at how little he has to share — he can't even answer what his parents are like. It can't be easy to play such an empty vessel of a character, but Wolff does it well. Tom's lack of expression says nothing and everything at the same time.
Halle Bailey Shines in a Short Time
Speaking of Halle Bailey, her role here is small but impactful. The title of love interest might be too strong for the reality of the situation, but Tom is certainly infatuated with her. After meeting her in class, he makes it his mission to convince her he's not as bad as the rest of the fraternity, even though she is firmly uninterested to begin with. Eventually, the two get closer, but as with all of Tom's relationships, there's still not much substance there (which seems intentional and is not a criticism).
Mid-way through the movie, Annabelle does start to look like she might veer off into manic pixie dream girl territory, but rest assured, that does not happen. To put it vaguely, without spoiling the story, the apparent lack of depth to Annabelle's character and their "relationship" says much more about Tom than it does about her. It's not that she is mysterious, it's just that he doesn't bother to learn anything about her.
Bailey does a wonderful job of portraying a "normal" person who both provides a respite from the relentless macho peacocking at the frat house and reacts to the oddities that come with Tom's lifestyle in the same way that many people in the audience would. With the few minutes she has on-screen, she makes Annabelle feel real and as though she has a life of her own (though we never hear about it).
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The Line Has an Atmosphere You Won't Find Anywhere Else
In spite of these great performances, the star of the show is the ominous and, frankly, odd atmosphere of The Line. No offense intended to the frat bros out there (or maybe a little), but the rituals, conversations, and traditions that go on among these characters are incredibly strange. Rather than going down the route of seducing the audience by making this lifestyle seem glamorous and desirable at first, before pulling the rug out from under us, The Line makes it glaringly obvious from the outset that this is weird behavior.
Every party or general gathering is shot with a cold gaze and often features a jarring music inclusion (or lack thereof). There is so much talk of women and all the sex these men are having, yet the only women we really see are Annabelle and a couple of the boys' mothers. Moreover, the only dancing we see is choreographed thrusting performed by groups of men for another group of men. It's all empty of warmth, personality, spontaneity, and connection, making it impossible to feel like you're missing out on anything except the company of the worst people you've ever seen in your life.
Symbolism and Cyclical Stories
The more subtle work that goes into the construction of the movie's tone is somewhat let down by more obvious visual symbolism. Similarly, Tom and Mitch's bedroom is decorated with ribbon-clad wallpaper reminiscent of what you'd see in a young girl's room. (Let the record state that there is nothing wrong with men having ribbon wallpaper, but these men would clearly disagree with that). This wallpaper is itself covered with posters of women in underwear and conservative memorabilia. The stark juxtaposition of the innocence of childish wallpaper against the glaring reminders of the real personalities at play here is perhaps too obvious.
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Similarly, in an early conversation, Mitch's father tells a "joke" about how the only fish you see mounted on walls are the ones with their mouths open, and this is an image that pops back up in a couple of other scenes in a not-so-subtle way. The message conveyed by the fish imagery — that these men are taught to keep quiet about themselves, their peers, their actions, and their feelings — is better displayed in Wolff's performance than in this heavy-handed set dressing. On the other hand, this is still much better than the alternative of characters spelling everything out verbally.
The fish imagery also emphasizes the cyclical story going on, appearing early on and again in the final scene of the movie. Without revealing too much, The Line's arc explores how privilege and the systems built by those in power work to keep everyone in their place. While it does this effectively, a downside of this kind of story is that it's easy to see where the narrative is heading, which undercuts some of the tension in the climax. So, in a way, the movie is its own enemy.
However, that doesn't mean it's not worth watching, just don't go into it expecting a rollercoaster of twists and turns. There is a lot of really interesting work going on from all angles, and Wolff gives an utterly unique and haunting performance. In particular, you won't experience the truly odd and depressing tone it builds anywhere else. From Utopia, The Line will be released theatrically on October 18, 2024.
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