The Group

The AAT group that meets in The Group have an assortment of problems that are basically down to booze and drugs. Most also have an attitude problem there under duress with little interest in their fellow members or even getting better. Eddy (Nobuse Jnr) even has to skip out being high at the time of the meeting.

Returning to them is Kara (Evangelina Burton) who as a problem person has missed a few sessions. Managed by Ellen (Alicia Novak) they settle down to the chore (as they see it) of discussing their problems. This continues while a mysterious man arrives and locks the doors of the building, it’s not difficult to work out that something is going to happen.

And so Jack (Dylan Baldwin), barely accepted as a new group member, pulls a gun, shoots Ellen, and then starts to chew the scenery as he takes each of the participants on about their treatment and its effectiveness opening them up to self and group scrutiny.

What follows from writer and director William Higo is an intriguing if a little unbalanced thriller/mystery. The main one being what is Jack there for? There’s an element of An Inspector Calls about it as Jack addresses each of the members, eking out their problems and this builds the story and atmosphere effectively.

But we have seen a lot of this type of high functioning psychopath before and Jack doesn’t add that much to that pantheon. Similarly the acting while on the whole solid does wander towards the am dram at times, and there are lulls that could look like padding.

The film has however a terrifically tense mid-section with Eddy, Jack and a good Samaritan type, lifting the film. Also Higo does keep the viewer interested until the end.

The one room location indicates a low budget though with such a wordy script that isn’t an issue. It’s a solid debut.

The Group has its world premiere as part of the New Blood strand at London FrightFest 2022 and is now available on digital in North America.