Film Press Review | NERVE

07.27.2016 – Privacy is slowly becoming into non-existent as this generation of youngster surrender them for the price of popularity. They say art imitates life its true and the way it is portrayed on NERVE it delves to the darker path of reality. It starts with an innocent opening the usual ‘social media’ that people share their daily life on an ordinary day which they spin it to be ‘special’ it does reflect reality in this film that had a muddled narrative that tries to send the right messages.

From the ‘normal’ life things get turn around becoming something more sinister that challenges the lives of these characters. Emma Roberts’ Venus "Vee" Delmonico life doesn’t comes easy being an introvert trying to survive everyday life without the need of attention she gets lured into the world of ‘NERVE’ until everything gets chaotic in the second act that would change further when she meets Ian.

She befriends Dave Franco’s Ian the mystery character in this film not even in the promotional material and trailer reveal much, but he portrayal of this character elevates his performance from a comical Mike Pancake of Unfinished Business to a serious actor miles away from the magician named Jack Wilder.



Story wise its fast pace scenes keeps everyone connected to what’s happening to the two people who was considered popular in ‘NERVE’ due to daring stunts being asked of them to do. In other parts of the film you get the reality of jealousy from Sydney, her best friend who used to be the extrovert type. It certainly shows the neophyte character of Vee would easily connect to ‘NERVE’ and she’s not the shy type everyone thought of her to be in the beginning. But what thrust her to become this daring is due to the unexplained death of his older brother.

There was not much story behind his older brother’s demise until it was revealed further part of the story, but since she’s the focus it just give weight why she’s doing this not for the attention just trying to prove everyone wrong. It goes back to the reality that some people does crave for attention and there reasons why. For Vee this was about proving that she can take any dare and as the scenes go nobody would be surprised how she’s that intelligent and the looks can certainly deceive you.

But the most deceiving is Dave Franco’s Ian who doesn’t have anything to reveal, but being a participant of ‘NERVE’ who has a personal agenda similar to Vee with more intent in taking down who started the social media program in the first place.



‘NERVE’ is intense in the later part of the final act, but what makes this an example to the younger generation that don’t take social media for granted. You’ll definitely lose your privacy as what Vee and her mother experience. Not everything is for show and that the world doesn’t exactly revolve around you. There’s no erase button to start all over again and basically one of the lessons ‘NERVE’ brings to this film.

Though as intense as any film it lacks the narrative people would have engaged into, but it tries to be consistent in giving the right message and that makes this one underrated film to look forward to now cinemas out there.

“NERVE” heading to Philippine cinemas on July 27, 2016 from Pioneer Films!

RATED: 3 out of 5 Stars

NOTE: This film is screened privately in advance by invitation from Pioneer Films. This is reviewed and rated personally to build interest about the film.