The Artifice Girl: Is It an Oscar Snub if No One’s Seen It?
The Artifice Girl (2023)
Directed by Franklin Ritch
Starring Tatum Matthews, Sinda Nichols, David Girard, Franklin Ritch and Lance Henriksen
I am a sucker for debut feature films, especially when they fall into the low-budget sci-fi genre. The Artifice Girl, directed by Franklin Ritch, fits this description perfectly. Released this year on May 1, it made its way to a handful of theaters and is also available on the Public Library streaming service, Kanopy.
In the tradition of some of my favorite films—such as Primer (2004), Coherence (2013), Cube (1997), and Moon (2009)—The Artifice Girl relies on character-driven dialogue to propel the drama. The characters’ words carry weight, drawing us into their world. Without these conversations, what unfolds on screen would lose its significance.
This story revolves around the use of AI to apprehend sexual predators. Had I been aware of this premise beforehand, I might have experienced some apprehension as the plot unfolded. However, the lack of prior knowledge, thanks to Optimum Immersion, made the first act, which is akin to a chamber piece, all the more engaging.
The Artifice Girl revolves around three human characters: Sinda Nichols and David Girard, who portray federal agents, and Franklin Ritch as Gareth. Their dialogue unfolds with an intensity that suggests the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Initially, their exchange appears to be an exaggerated parody of a crime show on network television. However, as the rapid-fire dialogue continues, it reveals an intriguing story—one that ultimately proves to be of paramount importance.
The second act transports us through time, and although it’s a jolting shift, the actors’ skill keeps us engaged and anchored to the story. The chamber piece aesthetic endures, yet the world feels larger and more wondrous, even as we remain confined to a small office/conference room deep within a federal building.
Because I care about your Optimum Immersion as well, I approach discussing actress Tatum Matthews and her role in the film delicately. I will say only that her delivery, and the sheer amount of exposition she handles, are unrivaled for a child actor. I hope her career continues to feature well-written roles like this; if it does, she may very well be sought after by major franchises (such as Marvel or Disney) in the near future.
The only act that didn’t entirely wow me was the third and final one. Once again, we time jump, and now our chamber piece is set inside a villa at an undisclosed location. Gareth, now portrayed by veteran actor Lance Henriksen (known for his role as Bishop in the Alien film franchise), delivers his lines well. However, I couldn’t help but feel that if this micro-budget film had a bit more cash for top-tier aging face prosthetics for Franklin Ritch, the third act would have played better.
Ultimately, The Artifice Girl is among my favorite directorial debuts of all time. I am eagerly awaiting the next film from Franklin Ritch.
Grade: If Primer (2004), the debut film from Shane Caruth, and Moon (2009), the directorial debut of Duncan Jones, are both A+’s then this debut from Franklin Ritch is an A.