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Evan Oppenheimer is probably not a name that comes quickly to your mind should conversation casually turn to interesting writer/directors working in the trades, but it should be. The guy's got solid instincts regarding entertaining storytelling premises, but if this film is typical he lacks a strong finishing flourish. For instance, despite the suggestive title at no time in this film about mindreading does the speed of anyone's thinking play any factor in the story at all, when if it did it could've made for some uplifting developments. But nooo. The cast does as well as it can considering those limiting circumstances.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

There have been a number of science fiction movies and shows out there that tackle many "what if?" questions about telepathy and the implications it would have on our lives. Some use the question more as window dressing than story development. Others really try to make you think. As for The Speed of Thought I found the story very compelling and somewhat different than other stories of this kind. It's not a dynamic film, but if you are okay with a more reflective pacing and are more interested in exposition than explosions then this movie is right up your alley. The story is about a telepath working with an institute (for telepaths) essentially living what life he has due to a disease or condition that the essentially ends the life of just about everybody with his gift. He's a mind reader going through the motions until he meets another mind reader that starts to change everything he knows about himself. That's about as close as I can get to the main plot without giving any juicy details away. What I find good about this film is how they move this story forward. You are living life in Joshua's (the mind reader in question) eyes. He parties because he knows his life is almost over because this debilitating condition is starting to take hold. Then when things start changing more interesting facets about his gifts come forward. As you move forward through the movie you get more and more nuggets of details and information about what it means to be a telepath and what benefits and side effects there are. The telepaths seems to have a complicated system of communication between them that involves creating backdrops in their minds when another mind reader comes to "visit." It's a pretty interesting concept that, as others have mentioned, starts to lean towards Inception like realities. It's also a place where you learn about how telepaths learn new abilities other than what the film calls "scoping" (reading another's mind without permission). Like I said before the movie mostly exposition with a lot of scenes essentially being two people talking. The pacing stay this way for most of the film with only the last half hour or so gaining any kind up upward momentum. And what momentum you get is rather bland if you were expecting any kind of spectacle. I am fine with that. This is a reflective movie that gives you that time to think and reflect while watching. Since it's sci-fi and about people with extraordinary abilities there are some special effects happening when they do scenes inside the minds of the telepaths. It's nothing fancy and at face value can feel like cheap computer generated backdrops. On the other hand I only felt that way the very first time I saw the effect. After that I understood the whole mind's eye thinking behind it and actually welcome the technique they used. This is a low budget film, and it does show. In that I mean what was said about the special effects and the lack of anything dynamic in the locations, sets, cinematography and soundtrack. All of which are serviceable. Just not impressive. The movie rides on the script more than anything else production-wise. So is it one to watch? Depends on what entertains you. Like I said the film had no real action or dramatic scenes. No dialog gushing with emotion. No real dynamic pacing. Just a good story. If that's all you need then by all means check this film out. If you need more this film may end up boring you. I, for one, really liked it and walked away from it with as a very satisfied viewer.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

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Audience Member

I actually really liked this. It had a cool concept and good story, it just needed better quality.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

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Audience Member

Low budget but watchable.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

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Audience Member

very nice story and movie itself. interesting

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

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Frances H

This film was rather interesting,and though far from the best film on the subject, was definitely not the worst. There is a niche for low budget Indie films.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/07/12

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Evan Oppenheimer

Director

Nick Stahl

Joshua Lazarus

Mía Maestro

Anna Manheim

Taryn Manning

Kira

Blair Brown

Bridger

Wallace Shawn

Sandy

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Synopsis

Joshua is a telepath who can listen to people's thoughts and, while on a mission for the government, he meets and falls in love with another untrained telepath named Anna. They plan to disappear together but are discovered and separated, forcing Joshua to see the truth about his abilities, the corruption that surrounds him, and the power he has to save the future.

Director: Evan Oppenheimer
Executive Producer: Joshua Oppenheimer
Screenwriter: Evan Oppenheimer
Production Co: El Camino Films, Black Sand Pictures, Soho Screen Productions
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 3, 2019

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