Violet

Flemish filmmaker Bas Devos's laconic and often inscrutable Belgian-Dutch drama Violet is a highly mannered work that relies heavily on portentous visuals and minimal dialogue. Buried in the blur is the story of a 15-year-old boy named Jesse (Cesar De Sutter) who witnesses the murder of a friend and does nothing to step in and save him. Viewers mostly experience this action from the emotional distance of several security cameras, and the film's half-dream aesthetic continues as the young anti-hero deals with the parents and friends of his fallen chum, as well as the ambivalent support of his own parents. When people speak here—a relatively rare occurrence—the film becomes much more interesting and accessible, but the audience is largely left to try to glean the inner lives of characters through the precious and often distorting lens of Devos's self-conscious (albeit often visually striking) artistry. A strong optional purchase. (T. Keogh)