24 Exposures (2013)

In this sexy thriller a photographer who specializes in erotic photo shoots is suspected of murder when one of his models is found dead. Starring the creators of ‘You’re Next.’

Joe Swanberg’s first venture into the murder mystery world proves to be a successful one with his newest film, 24 Exposures. Starring Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett, the film follows Billy (Wingard), a fetish photographer, who befriends Michael Bamfeaux (Barrett), a severely depressed detective who is investigating the murder of a model. In an attempt to be cooperative to the investigation, Billy invites Bamfeaux along to a photo shoot, where he is photographing a nude model who is posing as a corpse.

The unusual line of work is intriguing to Bamfeaux, who believes he can find some leads through interviewing people who work in the industry. Meanwhile, Billy struggles to keep his previously open-minded girlfriend, Alex (Caroline White), from becoming jealous of his intimate working relationships with Callie (Sophia Takal) and Rebecca (Helen Rogers), two models dealing with their own issues in their personal lives.

Unlike most whodunits, 24 Exposures focuses more on the personal lives and relationships of each of the characters than on specific details of the murder investigation. Thankfully, all of the dialogue and interactions feel extremely realistic, with none of the scenes coming across as disingenuous or scripted. While I have no qualms about referring to the film as a “murder mystery,” it certainly isn’t a traditional one. There isn’t a double-digit body count or a plethora of over-the-top twists. Swanberg instead opts to investigate the psyche of fetish photographers and homicide detectives and how the two professions both reside in their own worlds.