Two-handers aren’t easy to pull off. They require strong actors who understand how to play off each other well enough to keep things interesting for the duration of an entire film. Fortunately, Zachary Wigon’s Sanctuary makes a great case for this format, showcasing excellent performances from its stars, Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott. It's a 96-minute power struggle rollercoaster that never lets up…
When Rebecca (Margaret Qualley) first arrives to see Hal (Christopher Abbott), she wears a blond wig and has legal papers for him to sign, but it quickly becomes clear that this is all a game with a very specific script written by Hal to cater to his particular fantasies. This is the arrangement that executive Hal and dominatrix Rebecca have, but they’ve also built a warm friendship that involves sharing meals together after their touch-free role play is finished. When Hal tries to end their relationship because he will soon become CEO of his late father’s company, Rebecca is not pleased and goes to great lengths to convince Hal that he wouldn’t be smart to let her go.
Qualley, coming off a lauded Emmy-nominated performance in Netflix’s limited series Maid, will be very gratifying for fans of that show. She spins her wheels in a similar way to Alex but exhibits considerably more control than that woman ever had. Abbott, a notable player from Girls who also delivered chillingly good villianous turns in Sweet Virginia and Possessor, plays against type as someone who generally treats others with respect and certainly takes that subservient position in his interactions with Rebecca. It's the deviation from their previous roles that make this film extra compelling. What else can they do?
Two-actor films often feel like they could have been plays, but to Zachary Wigon's credits Sanctuary functions very cinematically, utilizing purposeful camera angles to frame its perspective and closing in on Hal and Rebecca’s faces to convey their unspoken responses to certain developments. Watching these two actors superb work is made even more intriguing by how the camera follows them, and brief interludes of colored light suggest this story might be over before the arguments and mind games ramp up again. Qualley and Abbott have both shown great talent in their past, and their ability to jointly carry this film suggests more very promising work ahead for both of them. B+
Sanctuary is screening in the Special Presentations category at TIFF.