After a couple of years of navigating through the weird yet endearing filmography of Nathan Hill, I’ve grown fond of the actor/producer/director. I love independent movies when they care nothing about the rest of the world, and exist in a subset where standards are taken down. Hill is a creator of worlds, and his uncompromised vision has become the staple of his movies. It could take long to understand his style, but once you digest several of his movies, you will get Hill. Bitter Desire is one of his latest, and a great example of Hill doing what he does best.
The film follows a law enforcement officer who’s recovering from an injury. Steve requires help from a nurse, and he doesn’t seem to have much luck with them. That is until a new one arrives on his doorstep and offers the care he needs, and well… much more. What he doesn’t know is that she has a dark secret, and doesn’t exactly want good for the happily married officer.
Bitter Desire gets steamy, in the same fashion that some of Hill’s previous movies do. It leans into erotic thriller territory when it presents an antagonist whose true intentions are revealed early on. There’s no twist this time because Hill doesn’t complicate himself by pursuing something extraordinary. Writer Thomas Bodine follows a narrative structure that has worked before, and director Simon Oliver sees that Hill’s vision is accomplished by presenting a story that’s easy to deconstruct.
With Bitter Desire, Hill decides to stay out of the director’s chair and focus on what he does best. He doesn’t need to direct in order to guarantee his imprint is all over the picture. The romantic thriller does feature his usual tone and has the production value that makes Hill’s catalog unique in the world of indie films. Once again, he makes sure viewers understand this is a work of passion, and like such, everyone involved with the production is in tune with the general idea.
Bitter Desire has plenty of humor to make for a fun time in the land of indie movies. This is no Fatal Attraction, but it does its job when presenting a compelling central character who isn’t instantly forgiven for his sins. Steve does confront the consequences of his actions, but Hill doesn’t push towards big changes. If I could request something from him, that would be “go for your most unhinged, Nathan.”
Film critic. Lover of all things horror. Member of the OFCS. RT Approved Critic.
