What happens if you miss the opportunity of a lifetime?
For Millie in the new film Millie Lies Low, the answer is to just pretend you didn't miss the opportunity.
On the plane to a prestigious scholarship in New York, Millie has a panic attack and is forced to exit the plane before it departs. Without the funds for another ticket, she decides to lie low in Wellington (hence the title) and fake a life in New York through carefully crafted posts on social media.
Any film like this where the plot is predicated on a snowballing web of lies has the sword of Damocles hanging over it that at some point she's going to be found out.
And boy does the film dangle that sword expertly. The whole thing is incredibly stressful with Millie narrowly avoiding being found out time and time again without the film ever feeling like it's repeating plot beats.
The film hinges on the performance of the lead, Ana Scotney who somehow manages to make this utterly insane plan seem like the best course of action.
It's a star-making turn for Ana, who has shone in smaller roles in the likes of Shortland Street and The Breaker Upperers. Her first major lead role is one of the best I've seen headlining a Kiwi film recently.
Millie Lies Low is a must-see but I'd recommend bringing some tissues, the film's not a tear-jerker but you'll need to dry your stress-induced sweaty palms.
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