The one-take technique can often feel like a gimmick. It draws attention to a film that might not have felt any different if executed in a traditional narrative structure. However, it can utilize real-time events to create an anxiety-inducing experience. DASH is one of those movies that succeeds and becomes the most stressful car ride you’ve ever taken.

Milly (Alexander Molina) is the definition of fuck boy. He sleeps around on his wife, even impregnating one of his hookups. DASH opens with another one of his girls giving him a stash of drugs that he plans on selling to passengers as he is a rideshare driver to pay for the baby. The movie plays at first as a dark satire on Gen Z culture as his passengers are focused on their phones rather than each other. All of them are unique characters, feeling like small vignettes in a play. It doesn’t take too long until things take a dark turn when one of his passengers buys what he believes to be cocaine. However, she snorts it and Milly is not prepared for the consequences.

Anyone who has ever taken an Uber or a cab or anything similar has probably felt that tension in the car between fellow passengers and their driver. Sometimes, someone wants to talk while the other doesn’t. Even a welcomed silence can be deafening and DASH is careful to grasp that awkwardness. Milly is desperate and rather pathetic. Think Uncut Gems and the way we follow Adam Sandler continuing to make bad choices, yet we can’t stop watching.

The pacing is exactly where it’s supposed to be, a possible huge risk when using one take. Supposedly, there are no hidden cuts throughout and I believe it. None of the characters feel staged or scripted, yet DASH flows like a high-budget thriller.

The experience of late-night partying in the city feels familiar to those who have indulged. The people of the night are often the most memorable and DASH captures that essence. Molina embodies Milly and we feel like we know him too. We don’t want to step in and help, yet we can’t help but continue to watch a train crash. This is one of those movies that I hope get a commentary on home video as the production would be interesting to venture into.

My only complaint is the title. Recently, we’ve had two movies called Dashcam, one of which caused quite the stir on social media from the director of Host. We’ve also had the Mary J. Blige-starring Body Cam, a supernatural horror movie surrounding police brutality. The titles and some of the themes blend together, yet DASH doesn’t belong there and stands a possibility of being thrown into the same pool.

Luckily, it exceeds expectations and Sean Perry’s DASH becomes the template for how to make an intense one-take thriller.

DASH is available on Digital and Video on Demand on November 29, 2022.

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Jovy Skol

Jovy grew up loving all kinds of horror movies which is ironic because his parents hated them. CANDYMAN still scares the shit out of him and it doesn’t help that he lives in the Chicago suburbs. He loves venturing into lesser-known exploitation films of the 70s and being introduced to new movies. Along with movies, Jovy loves horror video-games and books, including comics. Some of his favorite franchises include SILENT HILL, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, and the RESIDENT EVIL games.

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