The Knockturnal
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Music
  • Lifestyle
  • News
  • Videos
  • Covers
  • Merch
Film

Tribeca Film Festival Review: ‘Blame’

by Ethan Singh April 30, 2017
by Ethan Singh April 30, 2017 0 comments
2K

Directorial debuts are always an interesting thing to witness.

For some it’s the birth of something amazing. For many, it’s the contrary. However, the amount of hope, effort, new perspectives, unbridled joy and nervousness is unparalleled. Tribeca Film Festival is no stranger to the up and coming director, so Quinn Shephard, the 22-year old who directed this film, had the perfect place to debut her movie.Β Blame, as Quinn says, is partly based off her own life and experiences. It chronicles the story of two girls, the popular girl who everyone loves, Melissa, and the mysterious girl whom everyone looks down on, Abigail, as they both vie for the attention of a new substitute teacher.. With a director so young, it’s quite a feat to pull off. However, despite her age, she does surprisingly well.

Shephard frames each scene very well throughout the film. It’s very easy in the case of her film to fall into the many cliches of life in high school and how telling such a story goes. However, she does a great job of avoiding them and giving each scene a sense of real drama, as it feels to the girls and kids that are experiencing the events in the film. Each scene finds itself in this perfectly contained capsule or bead that properly tells a piece of the story. While that sounds good, the real issue comes in putting all those beads together in a nice way, to come around to make one single piece. Β This film falls short of that for several reasons as you’ll see.

The screenplay itself reads very well for the most part based off of the film. The story is there and makes the mundane and tired story of high school drama and crushes seem interesting and mysterious in a taunting manner. The real issue is not the bones of the story, but how it comes to life. After watching this movie, you’re left a bit confused. In one of the final scenes, you can sort of see how it’s going to go, but it’s not your immediate thought or response, because the film offers sparse evidence to justify the conclusion. Only after hearing Quinn explain the premise loosely afterwards does one get an idea of what the film truly is about. After gaining that knowledge and looking back, you can see the script does hint at everything in very subtle and soft ways. However, Quinn doesn’t adequately portray those subtleties. Characters, such as Melissa’s dad, most likely in a hope to confuse audiences, is not giving off the proper vibes for the viewer to see what he’s really doing.

The acting for the most part was great. Especially considering many of these kids lack a great deal of experience. Quinn’s directing style lends itself to a great deal of innovation, evident in the kid’s banter through the film, especially in the classroom. Seeing Quinn engage inΒ not only the director’s and writer’s role, but also the lead acting role surely was something. If nothing else, she is a hard worker. However,Β not all of the performancesΒ were great. There is the man that plays Melissa’s father. He gives off too much of a friendly dad feelΒ who only wants what’s best for his daughter. However, there’s not enough evidence throughout the film to establish that.

At the end of the day, the question always becomes “Should I see this movie?”. This film never really properly comes together at the end. Each individual bead looks good on it’s own, but assembling them together is far from easy.Β With that said, that makesΒ Blame a somewhat confusing and alienating movie to watch. It’s still an interesting watch though and Quinn is definitely a star to keep your eye on.

blameDirectordirectorial debutHigh SchoolQuinn ShephardTribeca Film Festival
0 comments 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Ethan Singh

previous post
Exclusive: Emily Browning and Yetide Badaki talk ‘American Gods’ [Video]
next post
Exclusive: Isiah Whitlock, Jr. Speaks with Us About ‘Cars 3’

Related Posts

I Can’t Stop Thinking About β€˜After the Hunt’

October 7, 2025

Rebecca Zlotowski and Jodie Foster Talk Paris, Cinematic...

October 6, 2025

β€˜Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere’ β€” Tries to...

October 4, 2025

EXCLUSIVE: Stars Talk β€˜Blue Moon’ at New York...

October 4, 2025

Netflix’s “A House of Dynamite” Movie Premiere at...

October 4, 2025

Adam Driver Would Do β€œWallpaper, Therapy, Anything” for...

October 3, 2025

Keegan-Michael Key and Nat Wolff Break Down ‘Play...

October 2, 2025

2025 Teen Vogue Summit Recap: Full of Fun,...

September 30, 2025

β€œJay Kelly” β€” It’s a Hell of a...

September 29, 2025

San SebastiΓ‘n Film Festival: A Review

September 29, 2025

Digital Cover No. 19

The Knockturnal Merch

Follow Us On The Gram

theknockturnal

Lifestyle. Music. Entertainment.
Info@theknockturnal.com
New Cover Out Now ⬇️

Eskil Vogt reunites with longtime collaborator Joa Eskil Vogt reunites with longtime collaborator Joachim Trier for their sixth cinematic journey, co-writing Sentimental Value, a poignant exploration of family, memory, and reconciliation. 

-
#Screenwriting #Storytelling #WritingForFilm #FilmWriting #NYFF2025 #NewYorkFilmFestival #IndieFilm
At @thenyff , @renatereinsve brings Nora Borg to l At @thenyff , @renatereinsve brings Nora Borg to life in Sentimental Value, portraying a character whose journey through family complexities and personal discovery resonates deeply. 

-
#RenateReinsve #NYFF #SentimentalValue #NoraBorg #FilmFestival #Actress
@nobledanceroslo at @thenyff shares his vision as @nobledanceroslo at @thenyff shares his vision as a director, bringing his story to life with precision, collaboration, and attention to every frame. 

The film reflects his dedication to emotion, storytelling, and cinematic craft. πŸŽ₯

-
#JoachimTrimmer #NYFF #NewYorkFilmFestival #FilmFestival #Director #Filmmaking
We spoke with @ingalilleaas at @thenyff about the We spoke with @ingalilleaas at @thenyff about the emotional process behind her latest film. ✨

-
#IngaIbsdotterLilleaas #NYFF #NewYorkFilmFestival #FilmFestival #Cinema
Poised, perceptive, and endlessly compelling β€” @ Poised, perceptive, and endlessly compelling β€” @ellefanning in conversation at this year’s @thenyff.

-
#ElleFanning #NYFF #NewYorkFilmFestival #FilmFestival #RedCarpet #Cinema
✨ From powerful panels to unforgettable performa ✨ From powerful panels to unforgettable performances, the 2025 #TeenVogueSummit brought together voices shaping fashion, culture, and activism today. πŸ’¬πŸŽΆ

πŸ”—: https://theknockturnal.com/2025-teen-vogue-summit-recap-full-of-fun-fashion-and-connection/

✍️: Zipporah Pruitt

-
#TeenVogue #TeenVogueSummit2025 #TeenVogueEvents
#TeenVogueCommunity #TeenVogueStyle
Visit the @Complex x @Aepsa_official Pop-Up for β€˜Rich Man’ in LA with The Knockturnal! βœ¨β€¨
From exclusive merch and photo cards to signatures and more β€” ~ 100% worth the visit 

⏰ Sept 16–17 | 11 AM – 7 PM PTβ€¨πŸ“ 433 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles

#Aespa #Complex #RichMan #KPopMerch #AespaInLA #KPopFans #Kpop #Karina #Giselle #Winter #NingNing
NYFW magic ✨ @aliceandolivia by Stacey Bendet tr NYFW magic ✨ @aliceandolivia by Stacey Bendet transformed the runway into a dazzling celebration of bold prints, playful silhouettes, and timeless style. From Surrogate’s Court to the city streets, the collection truly captured the spirit of the modern woman. πŸ’„

πŸ”—: https://theknockturnal.com/stars-stripes-and-alice-olivia-by-stacey-bendet/

✍️: ElizaBeth Taylor

-
#NYFW #AliceAndOlivia #StaceyBendet #RunwayStyle #FashionWeek
Some things are just a perfect matchβ€”milk & cook Some things are just a perfect matchβ€”milk & cookies, Oreos & a cold glass of milk… and @nickbarrotta on the red carpet celebrating 30 years of the iconic milk mustache. πŸ₯›πŸͺ

πŸ”—: https://theknockturnal.com/got-milk-celebrates-30-years-with-stars-and-everyday-californians/

✍️&🎀: Ashley Lopez

-
#GotMilk30 #GotMilk #NickBarrotta #TylerPerrysTheOval #MilkMustache
On the red carpet, Stranger Things star @priahferg On the red carpet, Stranger Things star @priahferguson spoke with us at the @gotmilk 30th Anniversary Milk Mustache Celebration, where the campaign unveiled its bold new focus on everyday Californians as the real icons. πŸ₯›βœ¨

πŸ”—: https://theknockturnal.com/got-milk-celebrates-30-years-with-stars-and-everyday-californians/

✍️&🎀: Ashley Lopez

-
#GotMilk30 #PriahFerguson #StrangerThings #MilkMustache #RedCarpet #GotMilk
First-time nominees dominated the 77th Emmys, turn First-time nominees dominated the 77th Emmys, turning the spotlight on breakout stars and fresh wins. 🎬πŸ₯‡βœ¨

Read about the rising talent redefining televisions biggest night.

πŸ”—: https://theknockturnal.com/emmy-awards/

✍️: Danielle Biondi

-
#Emmys #Emmy #EmmyAwards #Emmys2025 #EmmyWinner #Film #AwardWinning #AwardSeason
We had the honor of celebrating VMAs weekend with We had the honor of celebrating VMAs weekend with @bacardi and @mtv! πŸ’«
History met history last night πŸ—½πŸŽ¬βœ¨ The Ha History met history last night πŸ—½πŸŽ¬βœ¨

The Hamilton movie premiere transformed the Delacorte Theater into a stage of its own, as the original cast and creative team reunited to celebrate a story that changed Broadway forever. From the first note to the final bow, the revolution continues. πŸŽ­πŸ“œ

πŸ”—: https://theknockturnal.com/under-the-stars-at-the-delacorte-theater-hamilton-premiere-original-cast-in-attendance/

✍️: Lauren Wire

-
#Hamilton #Broadway #HamiltonMovie #DelacorteTheater #LinManuelMiranda #BroadwayLegends #StageToScreen #MusicalTheater
✨ Disney magic meets coffee culture β˜•πŸ­ @dis ✨ Disney magic meets coffee culture β˜•πŸ­ @disneyfamily x @lalalandkindcafe are serving up the sweetest collab of the season β€” from Mickey drink sleeves to Munchlings surprises 🎁 Don’t miss it before it’s gone Sept. 16!

πŸ”—: https://theknockturnal.com/mickey-friends-bring-whimsy-to-la-la-land-kind-cafe/

✍️: Ashley Lopez 

-
#Disney #LaLaLandKindCafe #DisneyCollab #DisneyMagic #CoffeeLovers #MickeyAndFriends #DisneyFoodies
From @iamcardib undeniable reign to @wutangclan ev From @iamcardib undeniable reign to @wutangclan everlasting impact, the 2025 Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players Awards celebrated the artists and executives shaping the culture today. 🎀🎸πŸ’₯

With honorees like @leonthomas and @gelo alongside hip-hop’s legends, the night was a reminder that the genre’s future is just as powerful as its past. 🀩

πŸ”—: https://theknockturnal.com/cardi-b-leon-thomas-gelo-wu-tang-clan-more-honored-at-2025-billboard-rb-hip-hop-power-players-awards/

✍️: Nishat Baig

-
#Billboard #RnB #HipHop #PowerPlayers #CardiB #WuTangClan #LeonThomas #Gelo #RnBMusic #HipHopCulture #MusicAwards
PSA!!! We have another #knockgiveaway and this tim PSA!!! We have another #knockgiveaway and this time it’s for tickets to see LU KALA πŸ’₯

We’re giving away a pair of tickets to see her at Mercury Lounge in New York City on September 10th! Join us as we dance the night away to some of her top hits like Pretty Girl Era and Hotter Now 🎢

To enter hit the link πŸ”— in our bio and fill out the form. Winners will be contacted through email! 

πŸ“MUST BE IN NEW YORK CITY
🎢 From EXO standout to solo powerhouse, @zkdlin 🎢 From EXO standout to solo powerhouse, @zkdlin brought charisma, control, and creativity to every second of his Shrine set.

Kai On Tour gave fans in LA a front-row seat to his evolution as an artist, and it was nothing short of iconic. πŸ‘

πŸ”—: https://theknockturnal.com/kai-on/

✍️: Emma Salehi

-

#KaiOnTour #KAI #KAIatTheShrine #KpopInLA #EXO #KpopSoloist #KpopConcert #KAI2025 #ShrineLA
πŸ—žοΈ Extra, extra! Go inside the newsroom with πŸ—žοΈ Extra, extra! Go inside the newsroom with β€œThe Paper” β€” the sharp new workplace comedy making headlines. πŸ–‹οΈ We sat down with the cast + creators in an exclusive video interview to talk inspiration, improv, and bringing chaos to the copy desk. 🎬✨

πŸ“Ί Watch the full interview now 

πŸ”—: https://theknockturnal.com/the-paper-puts-a-newsroom-spin-on-classic-workplace-comedy/

✍️: Alyssa Threadgill

-

#ThePaper #VideoInterview #WorkplaceComedy #BehindTheScenes #IndieTV #ComedySeries #CastInterview #OnSet #TVTalk #MakingTheShow #WritersRoom #BTS #NewSeries
πŸŽ₯✨ Austin Butler and the cast of Caught Steal πŸŽ₯✨ Austin Butler and the cast of Caught Stealing open up about stepping into this gritty new story, the challenges on set, and why this film is unlike anything they’ve done before.

Catch our exclusive video interview now!

πŸ”—: https://theknockturnal.com/austin-butler-cast-talk-new-movie-caught-stealing-video/

✍️: OJ Williams

-
#AustinButler #CaughtStealing #MovieInterview #ExclusiveInterview #FilmFeature #BehindTheScenes #Hollywood #OnSet #NewMovies #EditorialContent #CastInterview
Vegas was just crowned the No. 1 nightlife spot in Vegas was just crowned the No. 1 nightlife spot in the world. We put our detective skills to work at @resortsworldlv to see if it lives up to the hype 🎰 πŸͺ©πŸ₯‚πŸ’ƒπŸ•Ί

Read the full review on our website ✍️ 

#lasvegas #resortsworld #hilton #sliving #zoox #zouk #stubbornseed #alle #nightlife #vegas #elderbrook
Follow on Instagram

About The Site

We are a collective of creative tastemakers made up of fashion, music and entertainment industry insiders. It’s all about access. You want it. We have it.

Terms Of Use

Privacy Policy

Meet The Team

CONTACT US

For general inquiries and more info on The Knockturnal, please contact our staff at:
info@theknockturnal.com
fashion@theknockturnal.com
advertising@theknockturnal.com
editorial@theknockturnal.com
beauty@theknockturnal.com

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Youtube

Β© Copyright - The Knockturnal | Developed by CI Design + Media

The Knockturnal
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Music
  • Lifestyle
  • News
  • Videos
  • Covers
  • Merch