A visitor (Jordan Cowan) comes looking for help in "You'll Never Find Me." Screamfest's photo
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- The Australian film "You'll Never Find Me," which premiered at the Screamfest horror film festival, brings out the best of both characters in one place. It's the setting for many simple horror films, and this one joins the pantheon. The film follows Patrick (Brendan Ruck), who lives alone in a trailer. At 2 a.m., in the wake of a thunderstorm, a visitor (Jordan Cowan) knocks on his door for help.
The Visitor, as he is called in the credits, is wet and barefoot. He says it came from the beach.
This is a very specific scenario, but it raises some general concerns. The visitor relies on a stranger, and Patrick offers help to someone who is not what he seems.
Patrick has no car or bus at the moment. He doesn't even have a phone.
As the night progresses, elements of Patrick's and the visitor's stories become suspect. However, because Patrick is a big man, there is a physical imbalance.
Patrick lives in self-imposed isolation, so he wouldn't be particularly sociable even under the best of circumstances. Imagine they turn to someone for help and begin speaking vaguely, creating a monologue that can serve as a statement about society's ills.
Indiana Bell's screenplay maintains the relationship between the two characters, with Patrick in the sinister and menacing lead role. He expresses some opinions about women that are certainly not marketable and offers points of view that can be dangerous.
The storm is getting stronger. When the power goes out, it's pitch black in the trailer.
Directors Bill and Josiah Allen, along with cinematographer Max Corkindale, create a dark atmosphere. From the outside, only the moon or lightning illuminates the figures.
The visitor helps Patrick resolve the situation, but he doesn't fully trust her. All the tension comes in the looks and glances each character notices from each other.
Unravel the mystery and reveal what the visitor is really doing and why Patrick has isolated himself. If the ending were more graphic, the film would be worth it.
Shudder will release You'll Never Find Me in the US next year. If it's on a streaming service, it's worth spending the night with Patrick and the visitor.
Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001, a member of the Television Critics Society since 2012, and a member of the Critics' Choice Society since 2023. Read more about his work in the Entertainment section.
