I hadn’t heard of Proxy until this trailer for the upcoming April 18 release landed in my Inbox this morning. Written and directed by up-and-comer Zack Parker, the film tells of a pregnant woman (Alexia Rasmussen) who’s viciously attacked, and ends up finding comfort in a support group, though it soon proves important to be wary of new friendships.
It appears Proxy premiered at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival and has since followed that up with several festival appearances. Now IFC will give it a limited theatrical and On Demand release in mid-April and this trailer makes it look like it may be worth a once over, though the woman doing situps with a cigarette in her mouth seems a little… odd. Give it a look below along with the poster and a lengthier synopsis.
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Esther (Alexia Rasmussen) feels alone in this world. When she is viciously attacked by a hooded assailant, it almost seems to be a blessing in disguise when Esther finds consolation in a support group, especially from the kindly Melanie (Alexa Havins). The two women strike up a close friendship and Esther’s life of sadness and solitude is opened up to understanding and even acceptance. However, their bond gets increasingly dangerous as they can no longer tell what’s real and what’s in their heads.
Anchored by a trio of strong female performances from Havins, Rasmussen, and Kristina Klebe as a dangerous jilted girlfriend, Proxy also features a standout performance from mumblecore auteur Joe Swanberg (Hannah Takes the Stairs, Drinking Buddies) as Melanie’s husband.
From writer/director Zack Parker — whose credits include the perceptual thriller Scalene — the pulse-pounding Proxy delves into dark, unnerving territory as it constantly elicits the unexpected and forces you to question all that you’ve seen.
