Our Happy Place

Thriller fans, you will find yourself completely captivated from the very first frame! Set in the isolation of the Big Bear mountains during the pandemic, Our Happy Place follows Raya, a woman who wakes up in the woods - again and again - plagued by terrifying visions, nightmares, and inexplicable memory lapses. As Raya's reality slowly becomes distorted, her only anchor is her bedridden husband, Paul, who is plagued with a mysterious illness that only deepens her sense of helplessness. The film achieves masterful tension and heart-stopping scares, pulling the audience into Raya's unraveling psyche as her horrific visions reveal glimpses of Paul trying to kill her. The heart of the film is Raya Miles, delivering a performance that is nothing short of stunning. Her portrayal is raw and layered, carrying the weight with remarkable presence. This is a must-see for fans of the psychological thriller genre - and a film you'll want to re-watch the minute the credits roll.

This was a film that I was alerted to by Keir from Strike Media. I confirmed that I was interested in the screener and was alerted that I needed to get accredited for Raindance Film Festival. That was what sparked me to try. This did play at a festival back in 2024, but it seems it's getting widely released this year. I wanted to watch it for my 2025 horror list. It was making its international premiere at Raindance as well.

Synopsis: Raya (Raya Miles), a lonely woman caring for her bedridden husband, is haunted by terrifying nightmares. She wakes up each morning in the forest, falling deeper into freshly dug graves beneath her. As supernatural forces torment her and the line between dream and reality collapses, she unearths a horrifying secret buried within the woods-and herself.

We start this off in a surreal way. We're getting flashes of this couple. It then has Raya waking up outside. Her feet are torn up as it appears she walked out here barefoot. We follow her journey back to a cabin that she shares with her husband. This is Raya. She is married to Paul (Paul Bickel). What this film will do is show us when things were good as flashbacks. Something happened to him and he's bedridden. He requires Raya to feed and clean him. He also has an oxygen mask most of the time.

Something else of note is that this seems to be taking place during the pandemic. Raya has decided to quarantine at their cabin near the woods. The title seems to correlate to the fond memories made here. Raya does call Amy (Tracie Thoms) via FaceTime. Something I found funny, it seems that Amy is married to Raya's boss, Derek (Eugene Byrd).

Raya tells her friend about her waking up in the woods. She's worried as it keeps happening every night. Amy gives her the idea of breaking her current routine. She wants her to get ready. Put on make-up and normal clothes. Go to the store to pick up real food items and make a meal. Raya agrees with this plan. It is at the store that she notices missing posters for women in the area.

Despite what she does, Raya continues to wake up in the woods around her. Amy during a call has her mark on the map where there seems to be a pattern to this. It doesn't help that since Raya is sleepwalking, she's not rested. She is losing track of time more. She may also be haunted by ghosts. She decides to investigate what is happening to break the cycle, but what she finds might mess her up even more.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start then would be that this film jumps right into it. It was a bit disorienting. Reflecting on that, I think it works to its advantage. It isn't until things start to come together that it makes sense. The first piece of evidence I noticed was this necklace that Raya put on. There is an image that she sees that makes her start to question things. This was something that I wanted to bring up if you decide to watch this. Not an issue though, I did want to say that.

Now that I've set this up, let's delve deeper. This is a character study of Raya. She is the one that is isolated by herself. Not literally, since Paul is there. With his current state though, he can't talk or truly interact with her. This starts by setting up that since they're in quarantine, she can't just have people over or go out. She could bring something home and with his current condition, it could kill him. That forced isolation could wear on anyone, even if the person you're caring for is the love of life. There is more to this though. The deeper she gets into figuring out why she's waking up in the woods and why there are these ghosts here, I get the idea that guilt is setting in. She might have known more than she realized and was intentionally ignoring it. I'll end this by saying it is a solid performance by Miles. She carries most of the movie.

I think I'll then shift slightly over to finish out with acting performances. Bickel is interesting here. In the present, he's bedridden. I don't recall us ever learning why. He does well at looking like this person who is an invalid now. In the flashbacks, we see that he's a nice guy with a good personality. I like the development of this as we go. Thoms is solid as her best friend. I like that she helps with exposition, especially since Raya is the unreliable lead that we're following. We can't trust the things that she's seeing. I'd say the rest of the cast was solid to round this out for what was needed as well.

All that is left then is filmmaking aspects. I thought that the cinematography and framing were good. The first thing that jumps out to me was them being able to capture where this is set. It is near the woods. There aren't many people around and there's just a few stores nearby. Then going along with this, it's winter. We see that snow falls over one of the nights that Raya goes out. They get a solid accumulation from there. This feels cold and it is close to Christmas as well with musical selections. That was a good touch since it is difficult to capture that vibe with characters isolating. This is limited in the effects used, but I'd say overall those worked for what we got. The rest of the soundtrack was fine and I'd say that the sound design worked as well. The mystery is quite eerie so the filmmaking helps to build that atmosphere.

In conclusion, this delivers a disorienting yet ultimately compelling character study centered on Raya's deteriorating mental state and the unsettling mystery unfolding around her. Bolstered by Miles' strong central performance and effective atmospheric filmmaking that captures the bleak, isolated setting, the film successfully builds an eerie sense of dread. It might not have the most complex mystery; the eventual revelations are impactful. I would recommend this film to those who appreciate psychological horror that delves deep into its protagonist's psyche.

My Rating: 7 out of 10.

I saw this at a festival in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago and thought it was fabulous and thought-provoking - Definitely something that encouraged discussion afterward with friends. More of a heady piece with a couple of legit jump scares.

There was a Q&A with the couple who made it in their actual cabin during COVID and it was even more impressive. Granted the writer/director co-lead has directed before and work in the industry but it was still really shot so well with special effects that I was shocked to find out were not computer generated.

This was a good time and a welcome adventure with true filmmaking.

Our Happy Place is a haunting and unforgettable psychological horror thriller that delves into the emotional isolation and underlying fears brought to the surface during the COVID-19 pandemic. Set against the eerie backdrop of lockdown life, the film follows a couple, Raya Miles and Paul Bickel, as they navigate an unraveling reality that becomes increasingly disturbing.

What makes Our Happy Place particularly compelling is not just its chilling narrative, but the extraordinary dedication behind its creation. Written, directed, and performed by real-life couple Miles and Bickel, the film was conceived and brought to life entirely during the pandemic. With a remarkably small crew, the pair handled everything from scripting and acting to filming and composing the original score. Their artistic commitment and versatility shine through every frame, adding layers of intimacy and authenticity to an already gripping story.

This is not just a horror film-it is a bold artistic endeavor that uses minimalism and psychological tension to evoke maximum fear. With its creative ingenuity and deeply unsettling atmosphere, Our Happy Place stands out as a powerful example of pandemic-era filmmaking and a reminder of how true art often emerges from the most challenging times.

A love-letter to horror, imagination, and the passion & persistence of filmmaking. While most of us were doomscrolling, and getting fat during the pandemic, two people were giving their all to this film, literally doing everything in front, and behind the scenes. It's gorgeous, scary, emotional, and makes every short film I've made seem lazy. There's a routine to the plot, which can trap some films in monotony, but Raya's performance kept me consistently fascinated. Tracie Thoms Pops-in occasionally to deliver much-welcomed laughs and a dose of reality, for the characters, and for our own pandemic PTSD.