Millie Lies Low: NZIFF Film Review

Predicated on a "life can turn in a dime" moment, Millie Lies Low shows once again that Ana Scotney is destined for great things.

Scotney is Millie, who, as the movie begins, suffers a panic attack on a plane bound for New York and tries to break out. Kicked off the flight, Millie comes to a sudden realisation that the weight of expectation on her thwarted next move comes with a price - and ashamed, she's thrust into a world of sneaking around and trying to convince friends and family she is New York, not lurking around Wellington trying to figure out her next move.

Millie Lies Low has moments of comedy, but in truth, feels more like a drama as it explores an attack of imposter syndrome writ large. Director and writer Michelle Savill has drawn deep from the well of personal experience to explore the implications of actions on those left behind.

There are large swathes of the film which are carried off by Scotney alone, negotiating the frailties of expectation of others on her shoulders and juggling the needs to find her place in the world. 

She manages it with great aplomb, and while this may not be a side-splitting affair you'd be teased into thinking you're getting, it soon becomes clear that Scotney is more than adept enough at keeping you engaged as the heartfelt script occasionally meanders toward its destination.

There is an odd feel from time to time of this script feeling like a piecemeal concoction of episodes pulled together for the film's sake, but Scotney proves to be a compelling enough presence to ensure that Millie's vulnerabilities seem real enough and anxieties of 21st century youth are more than universally enough to associate with.