November DVD Review Starring Courteney Cox

Trust me that you will be both mesmerized and frustrated. And yet, that is the brilliance of November, the dark, compelling thriller starring Courteney Cox of Friends fame.

From the outset, the movie grabs your attention and doesn't let go, although the challenge is lessened since the entire production is only 78 minutes long. The opening credits roll like a David Fincher flick (Se7en, The Game, Fight Club) and the drama quickly ensues as the movie wastes no time in starting.

Courteney Cox plays Sophie Jacobs, a photographer and professor who is in a relationship with a subject of one of her photo shoots, Hugh (James Le Gros). Flirting enough to win her over, the viewer is then taken forward in time after Sophie and Hugh are in a relationship for some time. One night, after dinner together, the two stop for a quick snack at a convenience store and disaster quickly follows. A young male enters the store and robbery soon turns to homicide.

At this point, November seems to be a straight-forward thriller as Sophie begins to be haunted by clues that point to something more than a standard convenience store theft-gone-wrong. She finds clues, hears voices, and has other haunting events that, along with the brilliant editing work on the film, are sure to haunt the audience as well. Sophie soon begins counseling and this is where the straight-forward nature stops.

November is broken into three main parts, with the headings of "Denial," "Despair," and "Acceptance." Within these, the story of the shooting is retold over and over again with differing consequences and perspectives. There are common threads and the viewer can be quickly frustrated if not braced for this.

While at this point November is more David Lynch than David Fincher, it is still brilliant in its own way. The movie is less about a whodunit and more about the perspective we take on life and the circumstances around us. As Sophie teaches her class, she tells them principles of photography such as "it's as much about what you exclude from the perspective as what you include." Many of Sophie's lines reveal the purpose of the movie, but it is almost so light-handed that the viewer never quite catches on.

Cox shines in this role that is completely opposite from what we are used to seeing her in. Other co-stars also shine, including Anne Archer as Sophie's mother and Nora Dunn as her counselor. Each is a bit part, but each is compelling in her own way. However, the real star here is the brilliant direction and editing by Greg Harrison and his team.

November will frighten and frustrate you. At the same time, it will also satisfy you.