Overview of Burn (2019)
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Title: Burn
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Genre: Psychological Thriller / Crime
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Director: Mike Gan
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Release Year: 2019
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Starring: Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Josh Hutcherson, Suki Waterhouse
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Runtime: 89 minutes
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IMDb Rating: ⭐ 5.4/10
🧠 Plot Summary (Spoiler-Free)
Burn is set during a night shift at a gas station, where a socially awkward employee named Melinda (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) works with her more outgoing coworker Sheila (Suki Waterhouse). The quiet night takes a dangerous turn when a desperate man, Billy (Josh Hutcherson), attempts to rob the place.
What unfolds is a claustrophobic and chaotic chain of events that dives into loneliness, obsession, and psychological breakdowns. The film plays more like a dark character study than a typical action-packed thriller.
Full Movie
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🔍 Why Burn Stands Out
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💡 Unique Premise: A hostage thriller from the hostage-taker’s perspective… until it flips.
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🎭 Acting: Tilda Cobham-Hervey delivers an unhinged yet deeply human performance.
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🎥 Direction: Mike Gan’s debut feature is stylized, unsettling, and atmospheric.
🌟 Best Scenes in Burn (Spoiler Alert 🚨)
1. The Robbery Gone Wrong
When Billy walks into the gas station with a gun, you’re expecting a typical hold-up. But the tension rises unexpectedly as Melinda doesn’t behave like a regular victim. Her unpredictable responses flip the script, and that’s when the psychological elements kick in.
🔥 Scene Highlight: Instead of begging for her life, Melinda oddly welcomes the danger. Her reaction is chillingly calm, creating an eerie sense of power imbalance.
2. Melinda’s Break and Reversal
One of the most powerful scenes is when Melinda takes control after things go sideways. It’s disturbing, dark, and layered with psychological depth.
🎬 Why it stands out: This isn’t just about role reversal—Melinda’s loneliness and emotional suppression bubble up in a terrifying outburst that feels both tragic and twisted.
3. The Bathroom Sequence
A gritty, confined scene where tensions between Billy and Melinda escalate in the bathroom. It’s claustrophobic, uncomfortable, and features raw, realistic physical acting.
🎭 Performance Shoutout: Cobham-Hervey’s ability to remain emotionally unreadable makes the scene intensely suspenseful.
4. The Fire Finale
The climactic fire scene where the gas station erupts is symbolic and thrilling. It’s not just fire destroying the physical setting—it’s Melinda’s final mental snap.
🔥 Visual Note: The flames and chaos act as a metaphor for Melinda’s psyche burning out of control.
🧑💻 Audience & Critical Reactions
| Source | Rating | Summary |
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| IMDb | 5.4/10 | Mixed reviews; praised for performances but critiqued for pacing. |
| Rotten Tomatoes | 63% (Audience Score) | Considered “underrated and offbeat” by many indie fans. |
| Twitter/X Fans | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Many call it “a hidden gem” for lovers of slow-burn thrillers. |
📱 Who Should Watch Burn?
This movie is for you if:
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You love psychological thrillers with awkward, flawed characters.
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You’re interested in character-driven stories with unpredictable plots.
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You enjoy minimal-location films (like Phone Booth or Buried).
✅ Final Verdict
★★★★☆ (4/5)
Burn (2019) is an underrated psychological thriller that flips genre expectations and delivers an unforgettable lead performance. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for fans of indie suspense films, this one’s a must-watch.
