The G Review: Dale Dickey Delivers Intense Emotion

      Note: This review was initially published as part of our coverage for Fantasia 2024. The G will be released in theaters and on VOD on June 27.

      Ann Hunter (Dale Dickey) adores her husband; however, she has never been the nurturing type. This trait is what initially attracted him to her, leading him to leave his wife for someone who matched his relentless, no-holds-barred attitude. Unfortunately, time catches up with everyone, and it did so swiftly for him. By this point, they had relocated closer to his son, to a place Ann despised, except for the chance to bond with his granddaughter, Emma (Romane Denis). As a result, she occupied herself with cigarettes and alcohol, distancing herself from everyone except the girl, ultimately drawing criticism from his doctor for neglecting the care her husband's failing body required.

      Instead of offering Ann a chance for redemption or further descent into self-destruction, Karl R. Hearne's The G pulls her into a quest for revenge through a corporate opportunist named Rivera (Bruce Ramsay). With the Hunters' doctor on his payroll, Rivera identifies the couple as potential targets for him to manipulate into granting him legal guardianship without their ability to contest the arrangement. He traced a paper trail from Ann’s name to a seemingly lucrative inheritance, assuming he could gain control over her finances. Thus, he and his associate Ralph (Jonathan Koensgen) invade their home at night and take them away.

      However, there’s a reason Ann lacks friends and why her husband’s family disapproves of her: she is a difficult woman shaped by a traumatic past that has made her harsh to those who won’t engage with her on her terms. It shouldn’t be surprising when Rivera finds it necessary to escalate his tactics—the money isn’t where he expected it to be—and it’s no shocker when he discovers her defiance makes it impossible for him to extract information from her through torture. He will instead have to target her loved ones. Much like the money, Ann holds other secrets; once her enemies strip her of everything except the thought of revenge, that becomes her sole purpose in life.

      This is an intriguing premise that allows Dickey to showcase her talent, reminding audiences why she is highly sought after in Hollywood. The fact that it has taken this long for filmmakers to place her in a lead role (like in A Love Song) is a shame, but it's gratifying that it's finally occurring. She captivates with a steely gaze capable of intimidation. Her scream when Rivera and Ralph begin to assault her husband reveals everything we need to understand about her willingness to go to extremes. This is not a scream of fear but of fury. Ann fully comprehends who these men are, what they are capable of, and the reality of her current disadvantage. Thus, she must bide her time, strategize, and attempt to shield Emma from danger.

      Where Hearne tends to overreach is in the development of the Emma subplot. Though Denis effectively provides a necessary contrast of goodness against Ann's malice—especially since she is striving to embody "The G" rather than her true self—these efforts lead her into peril. It introduces an external factor during Ann's confinement in Rivera's facility. Adding a past acquaintance from Ann’s life, The Stranger (Christian Jadah), along with a compassionate elderly man in the home (Roc Lafortune’s Joseph), raises the potential for drama, violence, and betrayal. Unfortunately, the execution of these elements can be overly straightforward.

      The narrative unfolds with enough tension and twists to maintain our interest through its familiar genre tropes. However, the paths traveled are excessively laden with violence against women, indicative of a male director. It seems insufficient for Ann and Emma to combat the world's systemic misogyny; they must also endure every imaginable crisis. This does not include the horrific account from Ann’s childhood. Instead, it pertains to the short time frame in which the film takes place, including Ann's stepson who resents her for being a “homewrecker,” and Emma's abusive ex-boss alongside her new, “respectable” boyfriend Matt (Joe Scarpellino), who disrobes within moments of their first date.

      It feels as though Hearne doesn’t recognize that the odds are stacked against these women simply due to their gender. It comes across as if he is attempting to cater to a male audience unable to understand their own misogynistic and abusive behaviors, requiring him to make the issues painfully explicit, knowing that they must suspend their disbelief for feminism to even manifest. This approach has almost the opposite effect than intended. He ends up jeopardizing these women’s dignity to provide motivation for their actions—as if the injustice of a man abducting an elderly couple to seize their money under the guise of “care” isn’t enough. Instead, they must also endure physical and emotional abuse.

      I don’t believe this perspective entirely dimin