Faults

Riley Stearn's (he wrote/directed The Art of Self Defense, which I highly reccomend: https://spencesez.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-art-of-self-defence.html) debut feature is a dark, creepy, and incredibly unnerving little motel room thriller. The film bursts out the gate by introducing our warped and erratic protagonist, who is acerbic, eccentric,  and not the leasr bit likeable. An "expert" on cults, he is soon hired to deprogram a couple's young daughter. Things go off the rails from the moment the woman is "kidnapped" and taken to a seedy motel where she is contained in the hopes of being reunited with her parents. The film is played low-key and every character is just a bit off, creating a surreal and disturbing aura. Things move along in a dreamlike state (actually, it's a bit more likea stifling nightmare) with subtle events unfolding in a deliberate pace which serves to keep you off-balance.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

RATING: 4/5

RIYL: The Sound of My Voice; The Invitation; Martha Marcy May Marlene