Told in black and white, The Parker Sessions follows Parker (Rachell Sean), a young woman adrift in the world. She spends her nights partying and doing drugs in a desperate attempt to stave off her nightly terrors. These violent and disturbing attacks are having a debilitating effect on her quality of life and so she turns to counselling to get help. As Parker and her new counsellor, Robert (Danny James), begin to build their relationship, events conspire and taint Parker’s new found sanctuary, putting both of them on a dangerous path to destruction.
The Parker Sessions is the feature film debut from writer and director Stephen King Simmons. Based off of his own trauma with night terrors, Simmons instils a genuine frickershae of malevolence into each scene. Even when Parker isn’t in the midst of a night terror, there’s an overwhelming heavy and oppressive tinge to the air as we experience just a taster of Parker’s life. Whilst exploring Parker’s trauma, Simmons demonstrates how a survivor compartmentalizes their anguish in order to appear “normal”. There’s a great sequence of exchanges between Parker and Rob in an early session during which they discuss her day-to-day life. Parker gives Rob all the perceived correct answers, no she doesn’t drink, she is close with family, she isn’t a drug user, but the audience see behind the facade as Simmons splices in footage of Parker drinking and hooking up with random etc. This beautifully tells how well people can lie to cover up their own demons, whilst at the same time communicating the situation that Parker is in when we first meet her.
With such solid (and at least partially real) material to work from, one could argue that Sean already has most of the work done for her, but this would be an injustice to the incredible work of the first time thespian. Sean committed herself entirely to birthing this character onto the screen, going so far as to hand write out the script in order to make the words really stick. Through conversations with Simmons, the pair discussed some commonalities between them and the two things together seem to have seared the part of Parker onto Sean’s heart. With her pushing herself so hard and honestly, the viewer buys everything she is selling and audience members with similar histories may find parts of their own psyche reflected back at them. It won’t be the most comfortable experience for some, but the result is an incredibly personal, powerful, and open portrayal of just surviving somehow.
Simmons’ camerawork is forever studying and following Parker. It’s always lingering just off to the side (again mirroring trauma) giving the viewer a voyeuristic look into her life. There are some fantastic sequences that join Parker at a fairground that play out dialogue-free and long, presenting a true slice of life. Everything works harmoniously to make Parker feel real and it’s gut-wrenching seeing her battle on however she can. The personal connection to the material from both filmmaker and lead is evident as they work together to ensure that The Parker Sessions is heartbreakingly devastating.
The Parker Sessions
Summary
A poignant and impactful story told through the eyes of a person on the edge, The Parker Sessions is a movie with a powerful message that needs to be told.
The Parker Sessions was reviewed at Arrow Video FrightFest 2021.
