Jethica

Jethica is in the steps of the likes of A Ghost Story and A Ghost Waits in that they are minimalist ostensibly simple ghost stories that reach beyond the purely supernatural. And that don’t move that far from their original location.

Jethica does though, as after post back-seat of the car sex Elena (Callie Hernandez) after some questions from her lover (off camera) lets on that she’s not from LA but New Mexico and there because she killed someone.

Cue the story. Elena is living on her own in a large trailer in the middle of nowhere. Driving to get petrol she bumps into old schoolmate Jessica (Ashley Denise Robinson) who after an awkward conversation agrees to go back to Elena’s place. Where she lets on that she’s been stalked so on the move.

Kevin (Will Madden) is persistent as Jessica shows Elena all the video calls and letters she has received. Hopes that she’s shaken off Kevin are dashed when he turns up at the trailer. Can’t be, says Jessica, as she killed him and shows Elena the body. It’s a ghost and there because of a spell laid Elena’s mystic grandmother on the land. Luckily Elena has some understanding of the craft.

With a supernatural theme and some offbeat comedy Jethica directed by Pete Ohs and written by Callie Hernandez, Will Madden and Andy Faulkner, also considers loneliness and skin-crawling obsessive behaviour.

Kevin is a creep, dead or alive. Dead he’s non- stop about his love for Jessica, how she’s wronged him and generally a pathetic, self-obsessed - possibly dangerous – man. What also comes out it how incredibly lonely and directionless he is. That theme is further built-on by the appearance of highway strolling Benny (Andy Faulkner) whom Jessica picks up in her car occasionally, and the post credits sequence.

The clever script provides for some understanding of Kevin, though no justification for his actions. There’s also the matter that Jessica, for all our sympathies, is a murderer. However the mainstay is that these women have probably been subjected (and continue to be) to the type of crap that Kevin is unloading on Jessica.

This is LoFi filmmaking that looks gorgeous making fantastic use of the American plains and skies images enhanced by the sparse soundtrack by John Bowers. And it’s a neat package balanced with low-key but solid performances from the whole cast.

Jethica will be available on demand and digital download from 6 February 2023.