Plot:
Richard Hunter, a promising young lawyer at a prestigious firm, has the perfect future mapped out. However, a costly mistake with a powerful client has put it all at risk. In a desperate attempt to save his job, Richard and his wife Tara spend the weekend at the cottage of senior partner Preston Westwood. The young couple is quickly seduced by their charismatic hosts' lavish lifestyle but it is clear that something ominous lies just below the surface. After a devastating act of violence reveals that they have become pawns in a blood feud between the Westwoods and a local family, Richard and Tara must decide what they are willing to sacrifice for success...their morals, their marriage, or their lives.
Richard Hunter (Joshua Close) is a young lawyer for prestigious firm. When he loses a case, after refusing to present a questionable piece of evidence, his boss Preston Westwood (Sam Trammell) is instructed to fire Richard by the end of the weekend. However, since Richard had high hopes for the future, he and his pregnant wife Tara (Lina Roessler) travel up to visit Preston and his wife Julia (Laura Harris) at their lakefront cottage, so Richard can explain the situation and beg Preston to keep his job. However, Richard and Tara find themselves caught up in a feud between the Westwood’s and a trio of brothers, who own the only other cottage on the island. When things get violent, Richard and Tara have to decide how far they are willing to go. The Privileged is a morality thriller, with additional themes involving wealthy individuals and how they think that they can do whatever they want and get away with it. The entire plot is kicked into motion by Richard’s reluctance to “get his hands dirty,” in order to get ahead in his career. However, when the stakes are high and your survival is at stake, morality is something that can easily be thrown out the window. Despite their friendly exteriors, it is quite obvious that Preston and Julia are willing to do anything to maintain their way of life and they expect Richard and Tara to follow suit. The Privileged is well-made thriller, which goes into many dark places. While the main theme of the film is “how far would you go,” there is also the quite scary undercurrent, involving how rich people can get away with pretty much anything, just because they “know people.” Viewers of this film might leave with a bit of a bad taste in their mouth, but that doesn’t make The Privileged any less enthralling.8 | LIKED IT
Sean Patrick Kelly
Sean Patrick Kelly is a Toronto-based freelance film critic and blogger with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema and Media Studies from York University. Since founding his site in 2004, Sean has shared his passion for cinema through insightful reviews and commentary. His work has also been featured in prominent outlets, including Toronto Film Scene, HuffPost Canada, Screen Anarchy, ScreenRant, and Rue Morgue Magazine.