“Red Rooms,” originally titled “Les Chambres Rouges,” follows protagonist Kelly-Anne, played by Juliette Gariépy, a juror stuck in the courtroom of a high-profile murder case.
Ludovic Chevalier, played by Maxwell McCabe-Lokos, is charged with the kidnapping, sexual assault, and mutilation of three teenage girls. These crimes are recorded in so-called “red rooms” and posted on the dark web.
Kelly-Anne, a fashion model with a small fortune in Bitcoin through online poker matches, has an abnormal fascination with the case. This fascination grows more intense over time to the point where she becomes obsessed with Chevalier and one of his victims, Camille, who bears a strikingly similar resemblance to herself.
Director Pascal Plante cultivates an ominous and uneasy environment from the first few minutes of the film. He’s able to create tension in the courtroom through the staccato piano and amplified violin soundtrack. Already, the audience is on edge and curious to know more about the case.
Plante also frames his shots in a very deliberate manner. In the courtroom, most of the shots are taken from a high angle, so audiences can see the top of the judge’s head as the prosecutor presents information.
This camera position alludes to a higher power. Even if the judges are not able to provide justice for the girls’ deaths, a higher power holds an objective perspective and knows the truth. The unnatural camera angle feeds into the film’s uneasy environment, further proving Plante’s control of the atmosphere.
A montage of poker, exercise, and browsing online depicts Kelly-Anne’s nights. As she surfs the dark web, an intimate relationship between her and the audience forms. Plante positions the camera behind Kelly-Anne — the windows in her high-rise apartment filled with the night’s darkness. The only light source comes from her computer.
A similar, more intimate effect is created when the camera is positioned in line with the computer. The audience can only see the colored light projected against Kelly-Anne’s face. She is engrossed and almost hypnotized by the content, alluding to her obsessive nature.
As Kelly-Anne’s interest in the case and Camille’s death grows, she befriends a fellow juror, Clémentine — played by Laurie Babin — who is adamant that Chevalier is innocent.
Through her relationship with Clémentine, Plante reveals that Kelly-Anne isn’t just obsessed with the case itself, but she has inserted herself into it. Kelly-Anne acquired two of the three tapes that depict the crimes committed against the children. This knowledge drives Clémentine away.
Kelly-Anne’s character is ambiguous throughout the film. Audiences never truly understand the motives behind her obsession, which keeps them on the edge of their seats.
Moreover, the third act provides several skin-crawling sequences. Specifically, after driving Clémentine away, Kelly-Anne’s obsession peaks. She dyes her hair to match Camille’s, wears her school uniform, and uses her braces in the courtroom.
Following this event, Kelly-Anne sells her Bitcoin money to buy Camille’s death tape. Once obtained, Kelly-Anne breaks into Camille’s parent’s house and places the tape on her mother’s nightstand. This tape provides the proper evidence against Chevalier, proving him guilty.
Plante ultimately crafted a nail-biting thriller with a grisly, satisfying finale. By tackling complex themes regarding true crime consumerism and whether or not the justice system truly has the best interests of victims and their families at heart, “Red Rooms” is a thriller like no other.