It isn't often that viewers should be encouraged to stick with a film after 30 terrible minutes, rarer still that a terrible opening is crucial to the success of a film. That's the double-edged sword of the new film, Final Cut (or simply Cut, or Coupé, in French), which begins with a single take that last longer than half an hour. This kind of cinematic pyrotechnics has become beloved in recent films like Birdman or 1917, but in Final Cut, the point is that the "oner" teeters on the edge of failure. It's awkward, poorly choreographed, and confusing.
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