To best understand Zoë Kravitz’s brilliant Blink Twice, one needs to consider the social context in which the film is situated: the public eye under which celebrities today are scrutinized and the reactions the public has to them within their virtual or physical spheres.

Whether your favorite A-list celebrity or influencer is gracing the public stage in celebration or making amends for a past bad deed that surfaced like yesterday’s breakfast, we all have a credibility image to maintain. In Blink Twice’s case, Channing Tatum’s Slater King sought refuge from his faux pas by relinquishing his high-stress CEO position and recovery in private, only reappearing as a high-profile philanthropist.

The world in which that philanthropism is set is the stage on which Ms. Kravitz builds Blink Twice’s today, as Naomi Ackie’s Frida is revealed. Frida is a down-on-her-luck, struggling cocktail waitress who, with her friend Jess (Alia Shawcat) serves cocktails at a benefit for Slater King. Ms. Kravitz accomplishes three key, early components of her richly layered story: first, it defines which characters are in control; second, it defines the secondary characters, those that are allegiant to Slater; third, the qualities and characteristics behind Slater himself, a chill, cool, laid-back personality.

Ms. Kravitz assembles the kind of who ’s-who supporting cast, the kind more commonplace with the 60s or 70s whodunnit, namely Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis, and Kyle MacLachlan. Kravitz, along with co-writer E.T. Feigenbaum, utilizes these characters to truly define who Slater is and paint an abstract picture of what he is.

For her part, Ackie’s Frida, is a strongly defined and performed character, with Ackie playing the part with convincing derring-do. Tatum, for his part, goes along with the flow, constantly breaking into spasms when things don’t go his way, as Blink Twice reveals more of itself, on an isolated island in the Tropics. The interactions between Tatum and Davis are stunningly hilarious. Along the way, the deeper interactions between Ackie and Tatum set the mood.

If Blink Twice were a strait-laced thriller, Ackie and Tatum would be perfect foils for one another. Kravitz ensures that Blink Twice is anything but “strait” with antics amongst its guests abounding throughout the story, tapping into some of our greatest self-image crises and social cues or miscues, depending on the situation.

Kravitz has a tight hand in the direction, telling the story she felt was important for this moment. A significant portion of the film is shot at night, with a luscious cinematography courtesy of Adam Newport-Berra; Blink Twice requires your attention, not at the important settings, but at the characters, their mannerisms, and dialogue, there is much more than just the surface level of all these characters and their situations.

Blink Twice won’t be for everyone; the film has enough self-awareness of the story’s predilection as to not over-extend its intentions. It asks enough questions about our real world that, for 102 minutes, you might end up pinching yourself.

That’s its greatest triumph. Yes, you’ll buy a ticket to Blink Twice to be entertained. Ms. Kravitz achieves that in spades. At the same time, Ms. Kravitz injects enough questions to raise doubts as to where the fantasy begins and reality ends, or vice versa. Naomi Ackie and Channing Tatum superbly anchor a modern who’s-who of supporting cast that keeps you on edge and glued to your seat simultaneously.

Are you having a good time?

R, 102 minutes, Amazon MGM Studios