The film "O'Dessa" features a memorable scene where the lead character, Sadie Sink's O'Dessa, is compelled to construct a new guitar from scrapyard remnants after her cherished heirloom is stolen. This emblematic sequence spotlights the film's persistent theme of ingenuity and versatility amidst adversity.
The movie, overflowing with more than a dozen songs from Geremy Jasper and Jason Binnick, tells the tale of O'Dessa's dystopian world where she emerges as a symbol of hope. Unraveling a mosaic of characters and locations, the film does not always hit its mark but manages to stay connected via a thin narrative line similar to Jasper's 2017 debut, "Patti Cake$".
Seeking her destiny as "the Seventh Son," a family inheritance embodied in the guitar named Willa, O'Dessa ventures into Satylite City, a shabby remnant of civilization. Despite the coastal shift from the familiar terrains of New Jersey, prevalent in "Patti Cake$," to this desolate locale, a familiar pattern maintains: a young woman, uncertain of her musical prowess, forming an unlikely alliance with Euri, played by Kelvin Harrison Jr., and discovering her inner strength.
In her pursuit of fulfilling her fate, O'Dessa assumes a range of musical styles that tend to create confusion about her image as she starts getting recognized as an emblem of freedom. The love story between O'Dessa and Harrison’s Euri seems forced and hastily stitched into the film's pressing timeline, adding to the disarray.
The film features copious musical sequences and displays vast creativity and passion. Despite its manic storytelling, however, "O'Dessa" boasts noteworthy performances, meticulous production design, and detailed costumes. The film's premier on Hulu following its SXSW debut could be its saving grace, with potential audiences on TikTok offering a chance for greater reception by fans. Yet, there is a recurring motif of the film hitting the same note, much like the single guitar string O'Dessa is left to perform with in her climactic performance on the variety show "The One".
