Movies & TV / Reviews
Overlook 2026: Flush Review
Image Credit: Dark Sky Films
Loading...Directed by: Gregory Morin
Written by: David Neiss
Starring:
R. Jonathan Lambert – Luc
Elodie Navarre – Val
Elliot Jenicot – Sam
Remy Adriaens – Dindon
Running Time: 70 minutes
Not Rated
Single location thrillers just hit differently than other films of their ilk. There’s something about the pressure cooker of being confined to a single space that amps up the tension; it often gives these kinds of thrillers a nerve-busting edge that more expansive films lack. When you have nowhere to escape to, the experience of being trapped in a confined space slips in an element of anxiety that can elevate a good concept into a great movie.
Flush takes that notion one step further. French director Gregory Morin’s solo feature directorial effort asks not, ‘What if you weren’t just in one location?’ but rather ‘What if you were trapped in one position — and a very gross one at that?’ The thriller, which was screened at the Overlook Film Festival on Thursday evening, does a lot with a little space and turns a comedic set-up into a white-knuckle ride, with enough humor to keep things (forgive me) flowing smoothly.
As Morin’s film opens, Luc (R. Jonathan Lambert) steps into a bathroom stall in the bowels of a nightclub where his ex Val (Elodie Navarre) works. After doing a line of cocaine, he calls her and has a tense conversation. He’s trying to get her to come with them to see their daughter, something she refuses to do.
A bit of a pratfall leaves Luc’s foot stuck in the toilet. After a series of bad turns involving a drug dealer (Remy Adriaens) and his boss Sam (Elliot Jenicot), a drug-sniffing rat, and a couple of bad decisions, Luc finds his situation worsen as he gets left for dead with his head stuck in the hole. Desperate to get free and save his life, Luc must use the tools at his very limited disposal to escape with his life.
Single location thrillers are often done to tighten the screws on characters while also saving on costs. But it has to be done carefully to avoid breaking disbelief or falling into monotony. Fortunately, Morin is working off a script that smartly sets up multiple tools and tricks to play with before things get ugly for our protagonist. David Neiss’ screenplay is far from a character study; it knows exactly what it needs to do in order to get in, deliver its thrills, and get out.
The economical nature of the script is something Morin puts to good use. Weighing in at a lean and mean 70 minutes, the director keeps things moving along quickly; neither Luc nor the audience get much time to breathe here. The tone is kept quick and jaunty but also rather nasty; suffice it to say that this is not a film to watch while having a meal, and Morin finds a lot of fun in how it grossly and mercilessly torments Luc.
It’s all a bit episodic and same of the humor falls flat; there’s a dick joke in particular that feels out of step with the rest of the film. But aside from those occasional missteps, it becomes delightful in a Schadenfreudian way. It’s not unlike a Looney Tunes cartoon, at least if Wile E. Coyote was a coke fiend in a Parisian toilet and the Road Runner was a rat looking for revenge.
It helps that we have a likable cast who take the edge off their unlikable characters. Lambert is more than game for the madcap proceedings, leaning into the Luc’s pathetic side but giving us just enough humanity to make us care. Jenicot plays his drug boss in broad strokes with some silly twists but never loses the intimidating stature he needs to sell the danger.
Add in solid turns by Navarre and Adriaens in underwritten roles and you have everything you need for a solid potboiler. As wicked as the film gets, it has just enough heart swirling at its core to keep things from going too far off the rails. Morin plays it all fairly straight and lets the comedy stand on its own without any self-satisfied winking. While it’s not exactly easy on the stomach, the film gets unhinged enough in its wild third act to remain a disgusting little delight from start to finish.
Overlook Film Festival takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana from April 9th through the 12th.
