The good intentions of the protagonist of Sweetness are the only sweet aspects of her character. Sixteen-year-old Rylee Hill definitely means well, initially, but her plans completely unravel, leading to multiple instances of foul play. Though her main goal is to help, poor decisions, exacerbated by behavioral health problems, only add fuel to an already out-of-control fire.
When the film introduces Rylee (Kate Hallett), she already appears socially awkward with obsessive behavior. Her main obsession is rock star, Payton Adler (Herman Tømmeraas), a musical artist Rylee worships. On one fateful night, Rylee and her best friend Sidney (Aya Furukawa) attend Payton Adler’s concert in their hometown. After Sidney abandons Rylee to chase after a crush, Payton literally collides with Riley with his car. Thankfully, Rylee is okay, but because he is high on drugs, Payton wishes to avoid any run-ins with law enforcement.
To avoid any further “problems,” Payton drives Rylee home. However, as the drugs further intoxicate him, he passes out in Rylee’s bathroom. Knowing Payton’s history of previous drug abuse, his stint in rehab, and supposed recovery, Rylee takes it upon herself to hold him prisoner in her home until he is clean. While this does not sit well at all with Payton, Rylee will stop at nothing to “help” Payton even if it includes anyone else who might derail her plans.
Written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Emma Higgins, Sweetness delivers a tense, shocking, and disturbing thriller that spirals out of control. Higgins’ take on obsessive fandom and how it often manifests from trauma and mental health problems reminds me of Stephen King’s Misery and Rob Reiner’s cinematic adaptation of the story. Higgins and actor Kate Hallett do exceptional work in developing the Rylee character. We, the audience, empathize with her in the beginning and through most of the movie; however, as she further descends into madness, her character truly becomes frightening.
I was tremendously impressed with Hallett’s transcendent performance. I also must applaud the acting of Herman Tømmeraas, who portrays Payton Adler, the troubled and tormented artist who must find a way to escape from Rylee. The movie also features outstanding turns from Aya Furukawa, Justin Chatwin, and Amanda Brugel. I will have to keep an eye out for this film, as I do not know when it will get released here in the States. Sweetness is a nail-biter of a thriller that I highly recommend.