Ethics in the Age of Innovation: A Glorious Adventure Reviewed

Set against the looming foreclosure of a family home, the film cleverly catapults its ordinary heroes Katy, Will, and their son David into the orbit of a tech mogul whose idea of progress borders on dystopia. And yet, this isn’t just a sci-fi fable or a morality tale. It’s a story dressed in the ordinary but humming with quiet urgency.

McDermott, a filmmaker with a documentarian’s eye and a dramatist’s pulse, directs with precision and empathy. The framing is thoughtful, the casting spot-on. There's an intimacy to the camera that suggests we are eavesdropping on real lives, not watching a scripted story unfold. And the pacing? Like a well-played chess game every move deliberate, every delay meaningful, tension building with the slow satisfaction of strategy.

The performances breathe life into the script. The actors, especially the parents, strike that rare balance of vulnerability and grit. One minute, we’re watching a family in crisis. The next, we’re watching warriors suiting up for battle. Only the battlefield is a sleek research compound, and the weapon is consent.

Music choices subtly elevate key scenes, while the writing pulls off that rare trick of being emotionally accessible without ever dipping into the saccharine. The climax, yes, you might see the “something goes wrong” beat coming—but it still lands like a punch to the gut.

But every adventure has its shadows. While the film moves with purpose, the flat lighting occasionally dulls the mood, robbing key moments of their visual punch. Some editing choices feel abrupt, and the sparse set design—especially those yawning white walls—leaves scenes feeling sterile when they should feel lived-in.

Still, these are nicks on an otherwise worthy shield. A Glorious Adventure doesn’t just tell a story—it invites you into a moral labyrinth, hands you a flickering lantern, and dares you to ask: What price would you pay ?

Brian McDermott has made a film that is both entertaining and ethically provocative, a rare feat. And while the house may be on the brink of collapse, the foundation of this filmmaker’s voice is solid, brave, and, yes, gloriously adventurous.