Cellphone

Grief and dealing with it is the core of writer Rachel Sommer and director Luke Sommer’s film. They’ve built on that and quite skilfully developed a spooky psychological thriller.

Wynne (Whitney Rose Pynn) is suffering from PTSD following the death of her fiancé Liam (Jared Noble) for which she feels culpable. Getting out to the countryside to look after a very large slightly decrepit house is the tonic she feels she needs.

Expecting total isolation – Wynne only speaks to the owner Bob (Malcolm McDowell) on the mobile and he’s never seen. However there are odd things going on, fuelled by the stories that the place is haunted.

While looking around the house with her mobile that image of a painting moves while the actual painting doesn’t. Ominous and the mobile proves to be the conduit for a lot of weird stuff; past, present and (possible) future.

Then there’s Chris (Justin Malik Johnson) whom Wynne finds working in the barn in a world of his own barely acknowledging her in a wonderful sequence with Malik Johnson in full flow.

But the house is now starting to give up its secrets with a photo of a previous couple (who are dealt with at the start of the film) turning up, along with writings and another mobile. With these Wynne starts to put things together and what has been happening at the house.
Cellphone, for much of its duration is a good, solid suspenseful psychological thriller that relies on the development of dread and character, than jumps and blood.

Rose Pynn is excellent and generates some empathy, trying to deal with her guilt over the accident which is eating her up. Her PTSD maybe responsible for her nightmares, visons and conversations with Liam, or maybe not. What is clear is that her nerves are shredding with something clearly intending to further destabilise her.

Luke Sommer with this feature debut (drawing on his 2012 short film) is assured. It’s a one location shoot with Sommers prepared to experiment in and around the house using odd angles and longish takes. By and large he maintains tension and intrigue.

It can feel repetitive at times and the film doesn’t have the most satisfying of ending which more about how it gets there rather than the conclusion itself. However these are small issues for what is a good solid thriller.

Cellphone is available now on digital platforms.