In the Dark

Great short film! It was scary, suspenseful, and well-acted. I don't want to give too much away, but I never saw that ending coming. Highly recommend.

I was lucky enough to get an early copy of Mr. Hermann's first short film release. I'm not big on spoilers so I keep to the basic plot. Jessie is a teenager who has been infected by some type of virus that is causing her to have hallucinations. To make matters worse, she suffers from phobias, anxiety, and panic attacks.

Be aware that if you are afraid of clowns, there is a scene that will absolutely freak you out. My only grip is that I really wish it was longer. As the acting goes, the actress who portrayed Jessie was brilliant. Her sister got really creepy at the end that sent shivers down my spine. The unsympathetic father, I thought, really grounded what was going through Jessie's mind. Snappy the clown, this performance will need to be seen. And finally the calm in Jessie's mind, her friend Sam. All the performances were fantastic.

Recommend.

Let me get the obvious out of the way. This needed to be longer. Don't get me wrong, this film doesn't waste a minute in its 16 minute run time and for those 16 minutes you are in the head of a girl who deals with mental disorders as the world falls apart in her mind. There is a lot of story to explore and In the Dark does a decent job at it, BUT, I wanted more. Much more. If you get freaked out by clowns like I do, watch out for the third segment. I had a hard time making it through.

I'm not a huge fan of horror movies, but the look into Jessie's psyche was compelling. Forced to face her worst fear, Jessie also confronts some of those who have had the most influence on her life. Each scene was so real it drew me in, making me feel some of The terror, heartbreak, self-recrimination, and confusion Jessie was feeling. Very well done.

A well crafted horror story with a film noir flavor. As a fan, and friend, of S.j. Herman's writing I feel the film makers captured the mood of the author's story well. The actors were talented, and vivid in their portrayals of the characters. And the clown really creeped me out. Well done.