Ethan Berger‘s The Line tries to make sense of something as strange and antiquated as fraternities. The culture is not something everyone can (or maybe want to) understand, but this film breaks it down with insight and frankness. They don’t sugarcoat anything. The director and his co-writer, Alex Russek, peel back the skin of one frat and what they find is both stomach-churning and affecting.
Expect to see a fair amount of homophobia, racism and sexism when watching The Line. Kappa Nu Alpha (KNA) is also festering with rampant privilege and entitlement. And with barely anyone around to regulate them, this boy’s club goes unpunished even when things go incredibly south. This shouldn’t come as a total surprise, but nevertheless, frustration will be aplenty. In time Berger and Russek manage to crack that hard exterior and find some small semblance of humanity. That glimmer of hope can be first detected in The Line‘s protagonist, Tom (played by Alex Wolff), who has a slow but sure awakening over the course of this troubling story.
Tom’s reasons for joining KNA are pure escapism as well as a desperate need to belong to something greater than himself or his humble background. His single mother (Cheri Oteri) doesn’t recognize her son anymore during his summer vacation in Florida; she’s sure to point out his “faux Forrest Gump accent” prior to his return to college life. Once Tom is back with his ilk, he immediately falls into newly learned habits, including hazing a fresh batch of pledges. As much as Wolff’s character prefers the company of his friends, though, he gradually sloughs off the fraternity’s teachings and becomes more and more disillusioned.
The Line focuses on the fraternity in question with minimal respites, yet those rare instances away from KNA show Tom pursuing his half-interested classmate (Halle Bailey) before eventually returning to the fold. Their interactions are realistically awkward and show a reversal of the romantic situation commonly seen in college-age films. Bailey, whose appearances are brief but glowing, isn’t lovestruck or impressed with Tom. The harsh one-sidedness of their relationship not only puts Tom in his place, it also helps readjust his worldview.
Once Tom is back with his brothers, he quietly and necessarily starts to reflect on himself and everyone else at KNA. The urgent drama in the house concerns a rebellious pledge, Gettys (Austin Abrams), who has made an enemy out of Tom’s best friend and roommate, Mitch (Bo Mitchell). The animosity finally becomes septic, forcing Tom to accept hard truths about this so-called brotherhood and who he can truly depend on.
The Line is not an unpredictable film. Real-life scandals and news headlines have given outsiders a good idea of what happens behind closed doors of frats. Knowing what’s in store doesn’t make the outcome any easier to watch, though. The film temporarily dips into thriller territory, delivering brooding horrors and visceral performances during this genre detour.
Accurate portrayals, sartorially and socially, give Berger’s debut a sense of authenticity. Alex Wolff leads a talented cast; his character comes out scathed but ultimately better for it. This film isn’t going to change anything about the fraternity system, and nothing seen here hasn’t been said or done before. However, this study of toxic frat life is compelling, thoughtful and, unfortunately, timeless.
The Line had its world premiere at Tribeca 2023.
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