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#Film Review: Netflix’s Murder on the Cape (2017)

Director: Arthur Egeli

Rating: 4/5

This film has been recently added on Netflix, and it is based on a true story, which is why I watched it as I like films where happy end is not guaranteed.

The film portrays an affair between a fisherman and a fashion writer. She is Elizabeth Baldwin (Jade Harlow) who came to her parent’s house in a small place in the coast for a writing retreat, while he is a local fisherman Mike Luna (Josh Walther) who always lived in the small coastal place. He is married with two children and does not even think of leaving his family for her. She however engages in stalking, excessive calling and jealousy, which causes turbulence in his marriage as his wife starts to suspect he is having an affair. While previously she told him she can’t have children she gets pregnant. He ends relationship with her and she leaves for New York.

But, after two years she returns because she has lost her job and she now owns the house because her father died. Since she does not have much money she naturally stays in her father’s house, which is fully paid off. As she needs the money she comes to Mike’s work to apply for health insurance for their son and this is where they end up in a fight, which unfolds a series of unexpected events…

The film is about affairs and forgiveness. The viewer can’t be on anyone’s side because she is ignoring the fact that he is married and never promised her anything, while the viewer also can’t be on his side either because he is not just a cheater but also a person who can’t accept the reality that fishery is going down and that he needs to take a different job, so he puts his family’s existence in danger as they are on the verge of losing a house. He is also cheating and ignoring mistress’s feelings even though he sees them developing.

It is an interesting film, and as it is based on a true story so the viewer does not know how it will end. What is also nicely done is the environment because lots of scenes are outside on the coast and the surrounding has been shown really nicely. The acting is quite good because both main characters portray their emotions really well and generally the whole atmosphere is very inclusive and I felt as if I was there. The only thing that could have been done better is the way affair started. I felt it was shown a bit abruptly, i.e. we see them meeting a few times while other people are around and then all of a sudden she comes to see him in the beach and it just starts. While this may happen in a real life, he is not portrayed as an outgoing person who would do this but rather someone who would hesitate for a little bit.

Overall, this is a decent film with nice environment, good camera and sound, and good acting.

Thank you for reading.

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