Abby (Robin Weigert) suffers a blow to the head after one of her children throws a ball at her. As she recovers from the injury she becomes increasingly frustrated and disillusioned with her life as a housewife to two children and a wife who doesn’t fulfil her sexually or seem all that interested in anything about her. She takes on an apartment to renovate with friend Justin (Johnathan Tchaikovsky) which begins to give her life meaning. She also looks outside of her marriage and has an encounter with a prostitute. Her sexual awakening leads her to agree to meeting other women who want to pay her for sex, using the apartment as her base.
Concussion could be, and most likely will be, labelled as a lesbian movie but actually the themes it explores are universal and not gender or sexuality specific. The film tells a story of deep unfulfilment and repression of central character Abby. The blow to the head she receives gives her a new outlook on life and she soon discovers the one she’s living isn’t the one she wants.
Her actions in the film could easily be construed as selfish but you have to dig deeper under the surface if you want to get the most out of the movie. Her progression from customer to escort is an interesting one and it does make you question her actions. For Abby she’s trying to feel alive again, trying to find some purpose and find satisfaction in what she does. The emotional undertone of betrayal permeates throughout the film as we see Abby trying desperately to connect with a wife who simply doesn’t want to be intimate with her in any way.
Of the women Abby meets throughout the film, the one relationship that becomes a central focus is with Sam (Maggie Siff), a straight married mother who Abby vaguely knows. Despite her initial hesitation to get involved with someone from her own town, Abby (or Eleanor as her escort name is) allows herself to get close to Sam and it opens up some really thought-provoking questions.
At the centre of it all is the fantastic Robin Weigert as Abby. Her performance is what holds the film together and she presents Abby in an unapologetic way that makes her endearing and easy to root for. We feel Abby’s distress and loneliness as much as we feel her moments of pleasure and happiness. She really showcases what she can do as an actress and her range is impressive. Maggie Siff (best-known for Mad Men) is also very noteworthy as Sam. Her story is a contrast to Abby’s in many ways but together they seem to click and there is definitely chemistry.
TV fans should keep their eyes peeled for small roles from The West Wing’s Janel Moloney and The Walking Dead’s Emily Kinney. It’s nice to see both women doing something a little different.
Concussion is a film that really makes you think about your life and you’ll be surprised that you can relate to Abby. Whilst we don’t suggest everyone will have an epiphany to become an escort, it will make you think about how satisfied you are with your life and also that life is too short to put up with things that take away rather than add to it. Writer/director Stacie Passon has crafted a fantastic film that will really get you thinking long after the credits roll. Her characters are well-rounded and her story-telling concise but powerful. After watching Concussion we can’t wait to see what she does next.
Get tickets for Concussion now. Watch the trailer for Concussion below:
