Alex Wolff Taps Into The Dark Side Of Frat Life In Grim, Assured Drama

As I watched Ethan Berger’s debut feature, my thoughts drifted, thinking about similar stories such as Lone Scherfig’s The Riot Club and Andrew Neel’s Goat. The latter aligns with what The Line aims to accomplish: interrogating American fraternity life. Meanwhile, the former addresses similar themes but is centered on the wealthy aristocrats of British society. This trio of films depicts the grim, almost surreal reality where these young men, potential leaders in society, act on their most basic instincts despite warnings that consequences are imminent.

Knowing right from wrong, they are still emboldened by tradition and generations before them to carry on with their dangerous ways. Throughout, I couldn’t help but think about why this aspect of society is so fascinating for creatives. One thing is sure: the chaotic nature of these habitations makes for a showcase for up-and-coming filmmakers like Berger, who expertly captures the frenetic atmosphere without compromising on his slow-burn horror.

The film follows Tom Baxter (Alex Wolff), a scholarship student determined to make something of himself. Sadly, he believes he has a leg to stand on in a fraternity that houses the spoiled spawn of the wealthy and privileged. Conflict arises when warnings are issued about hazing, a tradition these boys have no intention of stopping, and the arrival of a new pledge who antagonizes Mitch, Tom’s friend and frat pariah.

If the frat home is analogous to the animal food chain, Mitch would be on the bottom, but a new batch of pledges means he has the power to wield over another person, and this one particular pledge has stepped up for the slaughter. This set-up can only produce one possible outcome, and it is the outcome we all expect the moment this pledge shows his face. Berger does not concern himself too much with what happens but instead zeroes in on the nerve-wracking ride, dragging us along to a grim end we can all see coming.

The Line Is An Authentic Depiction Of Frat Life

But It’s Not Totally Free From Contrivance

Berger is undoubtedly someone to watch, as The Line is as entertaining as it is unsettling. His command of the atmosphere and pacing are admirable, as it takes patience to emphasize the foreboding rather than adopting a procedural mentality that gets us as much detail about the crime. At times, the film does get a bit much with its style, but the story is soundly structured, and the ending is not the cookie-cutter kind.

While this is a fictional depiction of hazing and frat life, Berger’s approach grounds it all in a recognizable reality, depicting characterizations and actions that are animalistic but are as human as they come. The only bit of contrivance and inauthenticity comes in the form of pre-Little Mermaid Halle Bailey as Wolff’s onscreen love interest.

Bailey is a delight, yet her role in The Line is cliché. Too often, creatives addressing issues of toxic masculinity and the like try to soften a protagonist by suggesting that beneath the false bravado and their skewed moral compass, there is a heart. There are other ways to acknowledge that Tom is not like the others, although he does participate in the misogyny and innuendo-heavy dialect.

Perhaps by strengthening his relationships outside the frat to understate that Tom has an underlying humanity, The Line would level up as an intriguing character study. Whether it was Bailey or some other up-and-coming young actress, the role was a waste of her and our time.

The Line’s Performances Aid With Its Thematic Storytelling

The film’s strength lies in how it positions the fraternity and the power structure built on a misinterpretation of how the real world works. As the chapter president, Lewis Pullman’s Todd is a character we have seen before; he is a man who holds onto his cherished youth before he transitions to adulthood. He knows that his power over others is due to the place that made him a leader. At some point, it is stated that several US presidents were former pledges, but the Toms and the Todds of the world are not guaranteed that upward trajectory.

Pullman pulls off the guise of someone set to be a formidable force, but there is a hint of uncertainty behind his gaze. Something that indicates he knows he isn’t anything special. This sad reality permeates throughout the film as we see the fraternity devolve. A few will be granted the golden goose of opportunities, and no matter how much fealty Tom shows Todd, his hopes of pleasing his chapter president and it leading to something better are setting him up for disillusionment.

Berger’s approach grounds it all in a recognizable reality, depicting characterizations and actions that are animalistic but are as human as they come.

Disillusionment is the ultimate statement of The Line. Fraternities paint a portrait of what society is going to be like for these boys. However, they are all Kens seeking validation from the patriarchy. Tom is both the victim and perpetrator of this narrative, and Wolff is incredibly captivating as the realization dawns on him that his future is built on a pile of crap. Everything he has endured and is willing to see inflicted upon others doesn’t get him the win in life he is working towards.

Wolff is perfectly cast in this role as we watch ignorance make way for arrogance and for arrogance to make way for disillusionment. The Line certainly holds to its more significant theme of addressing hazing, but at the heart of the film is the human story of self-sabotage as seen through the perspective of Tom and, to a degree, his friend Mitch, the significant catalyst for the film’s darkest moments.

The ending is appropriate, illustrating that Tom Baxter and his brothers are ultimately inconsequential in this ongoing cycle of pain and retribution. No adult can mitigate the situation. And no amount of good apples can deter groupthink. The film effectively illustrates how hazing is not singularly a university issue.

It is a severe form of bullying birthed from insecurity, entitlement, and misplaced anger, but it is a lethal game that sets these boys up to carry that darkness into their families, careers, and every facet of society that they choose to engage in. So, to answer that burning question I had earlier, why is frat life often depicted in film and TV? Well, it is enduring, scary, and difficult to dismantle, making it interesting to study.

The Line is in theaters on October 18. The film is 100 minutes long and not rated.