The Columbus music scene-set drama/thriller boasts strong acting and striking tunes, but the balance of its genre blend is frustrating.
Noah Dixon & Ori Segev’s combined directorial debut, Poser, revolves around the Columbus underground music scene and its thriving cast of artists who perform in houses, warehouses, and bars throughout the Ohio city. More specifically, the drama-thriller focuses tightly on inclusion within the space. It follows podcast host and wannabe-musician Lennon (Sylvie Mix), in order to take a look at how we attempt to insert ourselves into situations, into groups, and into communities, hoping for acceptance but receiving a mild welcome in return.
The film begins with Lennon starting a podcast about the Columbus scene, complete with clips and interviews from real Columbus musicians. She tries to absorb the world around her by recording everything she can. The story of her obsession is familiar – it’s an all-consuming interest that could well devour her.
Poser becomes more compelling once Bobbi Kitten enters the fold. The Columbus musician plays a fictionalized version of herself: enigmatic, talented, and above all else, cool. Kitten is in the inner circle of the scene, spending her free time at performance art shows and wielding the talent Lennon wishes she had. The contrast between the two women extends from their talent to their sense of style to the way they carry themselves. Kitten’s performance – and the contrast she and Mix build into their characters – breathes excitement into the film. It elevates her fellow actors’ work, and with them Poser as a whole.
Poser attempts to explore, fear, longing and mimickry, butstruggles to take these concepts beyond a thesis statement.
But where Kitten’s a radiant star of life, Lennon’s a specter. She exists within the scene, rather than engaging with it. Often, while others move and dance around her, Poser focuses on the world as Lennon sees it, someone almost invisible to her own supposed friend group and family. Poser attempts to explore, fear, longing and mimickry, butstruggles to take these concepts beyond a thesis statement. It coasts on the expectation of thrills rather than executing actual scares.
Dixon and Segev’s script hurtles towards a third act that you’ve seen before, losing its intrigue and interest the longer it runs. Its first hour though is compelling. It’s a frantic introduction to a specific community through shaky camerawork and solid sound design, built from the good grunge of the shows Lennon attends.
In the middle of Poser is Mix, a quiet actor who looks both piqued and saddened by every passing person. Her performance sits in her eyes and her mouth, slow to smile and quick to dart away from initial conflict. Mix is meek yet alarming in her inaction, her ceaseless recordings, her desire to be like Kitten, and her dogged insistence that the Columbus music community is her community. Lennon’s more than a misfit, and Mix plays her with an eeriness that helps with the turns Poser takes towards its conclusion.
For their first feature, Dixon and Segev have crafted a personal, fixated film. It locks its gaze on a fascinating community largely unknown to the wider world. Poser‘s young actors and musicians are a legitimately talented crew. Unfortunately, its mix of drama and thriller is ungainly It bites off a bit of each genre and aims to combine them, but only commits to one being the primary past the point where it can do the necessary buildup for that to fully work. But, between Dixon and Segev’s craft and Mix and Kitten’s good work, Poser’s creative team is promising.
Read next: The Spool's Best New Releases
Streaming guides
The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
The praises of live TV streaming services don’t need to be further sung. By now, we all know that compared to clunky, commitment-heavy cable, live TV is cheaper and much easier to manage. But just in case you’re still on the fence about jumping over to the other side, or if you’re just unhappy with ... The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
Season 3 of the hotly anticipated Power spin-off, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, is arriving on Starz soon, so you know what that means: it’s the ’90s again in The Southside, and we’re back with the Thomas family as they navigate the ins and outs of the criminal underworld they’re helping build. Mekai Curtis is ... How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Ladies and gentlemen, we’re so back! To celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, the BBC is producing a three-episode special starring none other than the Tenth/Fourteenth Doctor himself, David Tennant. And to the supreme delight of fans (that would be me, dear reader), the Doctor will be joined by old-time companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) and ... How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
For whatever reason, The Hunger Games series isn’t available in the same countries around the world. You’ll find the first and second (aka the best) installments in Hong Kong, for instance, but not the third and fourth. It’s a frustrating dilemma, especially if you don’t even have a single entry in your region, which is ... Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
After a years-long hiatus, scientist and explorer Albert Lin is coming back to National Geographic with a fresh new season of Lost Cities, renamed “Lost Cities Revealed.” In the past, Lin, who is probably the closest we’ll ever get to a real-life Indiana Jones, has traveled everywhere from the ancient Knights Templar in Israel to ... How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
To date, Paramount Network has only two original shows on air right now: Yellowstone and Bar Rescue. The network seems to have its hands full with on-demand streaming service Paramount+, which is constantly stacked with a fresh supply of new shows. But Yellowstone and Bar Rescue are so sturdy and expansive that the network doesn’t ... How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
Previously “Women’s Entertainment,” We TV has since rebranded to accurately reflect its name and be a more inclusive lifestyle channel. It’s home to addictive reality gems like Bold and Bougie, Bridezillas, Marriage Boot Camp, and The Untold Stories of Hip Hop. And when it’s not airing original titles, it has on syndicated shows like 9-1-1, ... How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
You’d be hard-pressed to find a bad show airing on FX. The channel has made a name for itself as a bastion of high-brow TV, along with HBO and AMC. It’s produced shows like Atlanta, Fargo, The Americans, Archer, and more recently, Shogun. But because it’s owned by Disney, it still airs several blockbusters in ... How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
If you’re a fan of true crime and insider docu-shows like The First 48 and Court Cam, then you’re probably already familiar with A&E. The cable channel is home to other reality TV gems like Hoarders, Duck Dynasty, and Storage Wars (they’ve moved on to spin-offs like Road Wars, Customer Wars, and Prison Wars now). ... How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
As the sister channel of the much bigger Univision, Unimás is home to popular Spanish-language telenovelas and talk shows (yes, including El Gordo y La Flaca), as well as a couple of sports events and programs. Most notably, however, Unimás also operates a couple of station affiliates around the country, so it also reports local ... How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial
For many sports fans, TNT is a non-negotiable. It broadcasts NBA, MLB, NHL, college basketball, and All Elite Wrestling matches. And, as a bonus, it also has reruns of shows like Supernatural, Charmed, and NCIS, as well as films like The Avengers, Dune, and Justice League. But while TNT used to be a cable staple, ... How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial