How We Got Away with It

This is a thoughtful movie made outside the studio 'system'.

If you're not paying attention, it appears to be a movie about mostly 20-somethings getting together for an annual holiday, with an undercurrent of emo angst (minus the makeup and hair color).

If you are paying attention, you'll pick up on the undercurrents but it won't come together until after things turn sideways.

McCaleb Burnett's Henry hosts the group of long-time friends, but he's been distracted by recent events and seems to have an ulterior motive.

Richard Bekins makes the most of his brief screen time to establish his character (Walter) as the heavy.

The rest of the ensemble cast is so transparent that the group of friends is comprised of archetypes instead of the stereotypes you would see in a lesser movie.

Who does what and why does get explained, but you'll still have to pay attention to know just how they got away with it.

Not sure I will be able to do this movie justice... but I shall try. I purchased the DVD a few weeks ago (not sure the backstory as to why is relevant), and I have hesitated to watch. Mostly because I don't like violent, dark, evil…yes I'm a wimp… and well I wasn't exactly sure what to make of this from the information I had. So first I need to say, that my concerns were unfounded. This is actually a very human tale, and as large as it seems in scope (something about the lake, and the house, and the group of people), it really is character driven and relatable. I loved the pacing to PIECES! I am one of those people that have most "mysteries" figured out in the first 5 minutes. It's become a thing with my husband and I. We go to the movies and within the first 10 minutes I whisper the whole upcoming story in his ear. (Job Hazzard) You think he would get mad, but it amuses him… anyway.. I had NO clue what was going on in this movie. I found it RIVETING! That alone was worth the price of admission… a true "What the hell? What is this all about…PLEASE tell me more!" piece of entertainment. In the day and age where everything seems to be made for people suffering with short attention spans and the need to be slapped in the face, I so appreciated the deliberate focus, intensity, steady pacing, required cognitive engagement, build of this piece and pay off in the end. (Seriously what grown adult doesn't prefer that model when it comes to things pleasurable?) The characters were all interesting, and very well acted. And though I tend to be more an auditory person, the visuals were quite stunning in this piece. Some beautiful views, and some very dark ones, and the contrast of them made me think about all types of things that I may not have... but I won't say more for fear of divulging some information you shouldn't have before you sit back and let the story unfold for yourself. "How We Got Away With It", is very different than most of the stuff out there, and in an exceptional way. I came to find out later that this was what I guess Hollywood would call a "low budget feature"… that means nothing to me in the viewing audience. This was as entertaining as entertainment can get. All it proves is that all involved were extremely talented, creative and determined. It certainly showed in the final product. Highly recommended! (And thanks to those of you who put yourselves out there for our viewing pleasure!)

Jon Lindstrom is an actor you might have seen over the years. He's been on several soap operas and has appeared on several shows. However, he and the rest of the cast have relatively small resumes in the entertainment business. And, that is what makes How We Got Away With It such an unusual film. Although Lindstrom is far from a recognizable face for most viewers, here he not only directed his first full-length film with this movie but he acted in it as well. Equally surprising is that both leading men in the film, McCaleb Burnett and Jeff Barry wrote the script--along with Lindstrom! These are some multi-talented guys, that's for sure.

The film begins with Henry (Burnett) getting out of jail. Only later do you learn why he was there in the first place—and the entire film is that way. Things occur, you have no idea why, and then later you learn, bit by bit, what exactly occurred. It's like watching someone assembling a puzzle. At first you may have no idea what's happening—but hold tight, as eventually the big picture will be revealed.

Back to Henry….he's out of jail and his sister doesn't come to pick him up. Where is Sarah? Well, soon he learns why he had this long walk as he soon finds her body hanging in the house. You assume this is Sarah… but you aren't sure. And, Henry does not phone the police but hides the body in the basement!

Soon a bunch of old friends arrive for a reunion at Henry's house. Could Henry have hidden the body just so the reunion could come off without a hitch? Probably not….and the WHY he did this is something you'll just have to put on hold.

Later, Henry involves his friend Will (Barry) in his plot. You see them dragging Sarah's body from the basement and then you later see them burying a body in Lake Ontario….and you assume they are the same body. But are they? What's happened? Why is blood discovered on the shore the next day and what about Walter….where has he disappeared to? The film is just chock full of questions and answers are very slow in coming.

Despite the answers coming so slowly, this is a very good film. Much of it is because the acting is very believable and you really feel as if you are sitting there at the house watching the reunion you first-hand. These don't look like actors, but people…real people. Additionally, the pace and style is very nice and clearly NOT like a typical Hollywood production. Slow, well-paced and actually quite pretty despite some ugly things that occur in the film. If you are wondering where all this takes place, it's Rochester, New York and the biggest thing that shocked me about this is that several of the characters went swimming and they didn't freeze to death!! Rochester and Lake Ontario are very cold…even in the summer!

So is this worth your time? Of course. But if you want explosions, huge budgets, glitzy acting and all the trappings of the usual cinema fare, this film probably is not for you. If you want a thoughtful and well made indie, then you'd have a hard time doing much better than this one.

A really well executed story in a film genre that is too often "cookie-cutter". Even the title "How We Got Away With It" lulls you into a false sense of - "Oh I know what's going on".... Not so fast. The direction is clean and carefully picks it's "Oh Wow" moments, which allows the story to unfold on it's own, instead of bludgeoning you over the head with it. Perfect for this kind of film. The characters are distinct but at the same time, you feel like you know people like them, which helps draw you in. A dramatic, modern day BIG CHILL to be sure. It's one of those cool smaller budget films that you just happen to see and are real glad you did.

How We Got Away With It speaks volumes about this understated thriller/drama set between old friends getting together for their ritual "good time" weekend. The performers are all very charismatic and extremely well cast, and equally lead well under the directing of Jon Lindstrom. McCaleb Burnett as the lead holds the torch as the protagonist, responsible for a lot of things darker then just making sure his friends are having fun. His plan nearly falls apart when a cop, Jon Lindstrom, is on to him. The color work on the film works very well in leading the viewer into a new set of emotions, and setting the tone for the scenes. The story is so subtle, and rather than spoon-feeding the audience, it requires the viewer to stay engaged in order to full be rewarded at the end by understanding the full scope of the story. This is a breath of fresh air, when most films do all the work and the audience is required to do nothing. I am also glad to see this film take risks in regards to male nudity. This is a very good debut feature film, and I am excited to see what else Jon Lindstrom will be coming up with next.