Film Review – Manodrome

As an actor, Jesse Eisenberg is typically drawn to roles that explore the ways of masculinity experienced by characters who often can’t handle their pain and fear. He’s played the part repeatedly, and he returns to action in “Manodrome,” which follows a character’s experience as he’s confronted about his manhood, attracted to the release of a cult designed to prey on the mind of someone unable to understand their personal issues, often placing the blame on women. It’s a study of the incel lifestyle, which plays directly to Eisenberg’s strengths as a quiet actor dealing with the powder keg atmosphere of seemingly unreachable feelings. The premise has potential, and writer/director John Trengove initially seems to be going for a “Shining”-like atmosphere of encroaching insanity. Sadly, “Manodrome” doesn’t remain in an enigmatic state of mind, slowly growing unwieldly the more explicit Trengove gets with the details of this unraveling. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com