If any one of the ‘90s Quentin Tarantino copycats remade “Sliding Doors,” this neo-noir would be the result, even down to the casting of John Lynch, who starred in the 1998 film. Filled with would-be-witty dialogue, “Detour” takes a Choose Your Own Adventure approach to its twist-filled narrative about a college student whose attempts for revenge go very wrong. Director Christopher Smith employs split screen to show what happens when his hero makes a decision and flips back in time when it wants to show the audience just how little they know.
“Detour” isn’t just notable for its structure and style, but for the casting of three promising young actors, even if it doesn't put them all to good use. This ‘90s throwback begins with a shot of Bel Powley ringing around a stripper pole to Goldfrapp’s “Stranger.” The camera is static, and Powley — one of last year’s most celebrated new stars for her role in “The Diary of a Teenage Girl" — simply twirls in slow-motion in her underwear....
If any one of the ‘90s Quentin Tarantino copycats remade “Sliding Doors,” this neo-noir would be the result, even down to the casting of John Lynch, who starred in the 1998 film. Filled with would-be-witty dialogue, “Detour” takes a Choose Your Own Adventure approach to its twist-filled narrative about a college student whose attempts for revenge go very wrong. Director Christopher Smith employs split screen to show what happens when his hero makes a decision and flips back in time when it wants to show the audience just how little they know.
“Detour” isn’t just notable for its structure and style, but for the casting of three promising young actors, even if it doesn't put them all to good use. This ‘90s throwback begins with a shot of Bel Powley ringing around a stripper pole to Goldfrapp’s “Stranger.” The camera is static, and Powley — one of last year’s most celebrated new stars for her role in “The Diary of a Teenage Girl" — simply twirls in slow-motion in her underwear....