Lullaby (2016)
Ari Drew
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Starring Mark Hoadley, Katie Charek, Jay Disney
Directed by Darek Kowal
In the era of new media, the horror genre sees heaps upon heaps of independent and micro-budget films vying for audiences’ attention every year. Between streaming services, small production houses, and other DIY models, we have seen more films created than ever that now have a fighting chance of getting in front of people through more direct outlets. While this is great for the aspiring filmmaker — be it the tenacious first-time director or the seasoned vet who is looking for new avenues of reaching audiences — this wave of smaller-scale films has also produced a greater amount of duds for horror connoisseurs to sift through in order to find the gems buried beneath. While this can be an exhausting task, occasionally you come across a film via a chance online connection that surprises you in its execution as a humble, independent effort. Director Darek Kowal’s debut psychological thriller Lullaby is one such film.
Currently seeking slots in 2016 horror festivals, Lullaby follows John (Hoadley), a thirtysomething living in a quaint neighborhood with his wife, young daughter, and infant son in apparent suburban bliss. On one unsuspecting afternoon, a mysterious neighbor arrives at John’s door, acting strangely and interrogating John with questions of his wife’s whereabouts. Asserting that his wife is currently working a shift at a hospital, John is put off by the odd questions coming from his neighbor and soon sends her on her way.
However, as night falls and John’s wife fails to return home, he begins to grow concerned. To make matters worse, he begins receiving ominous calls from an unknown party who states they are watching John and his children. As the night grows increasingly threatening, John must find a way to protect himself, his children, and his wife before it’s too late.
For the majority of the film’s first half, there is an air of absurdity that permeates the atmosphere, heightened by the oddly delivered dialogue between neighbor Patty Ramsey (Linda Webb) and John. “Lynchian” is the best way to describe the tone in this portion of the film, although it’s hard to tell if this offbeat atmosphere is wholly purposeful or a result of the film’s low-budget techniques and the performance decisions made by the actors. As it turns out, this more absurdly theatrical approach to performance is only present early in Lullaby, utilized just enough to establish a creeping air of mystery before the story and performances become more subdued. Tonally, the film takes a turn around the midway point that shifts our perception of what we are experiencing as John begins to grow more frantic, fueled by the ominous voice on the other end of the line. At this point, a significant plot twist occurs and the film majorly changes gears, revealing more to the story in a way that genuinely surprises; the method through which this mystery is unveiled works far better than one might expect for a film of this caliber.
As Lullaby shifts to a more drama-centric story at this point, it may lose some viewers’ interest, trading many of the more common horror devices utilized early on for moments of suspense and revelation. This further exploration of John’s story — which involves the introduction of characters Sarah (Charek) and Lee (Disney) — actually kept me engaged much more than I expected it to after the reveal took place. Without giving too much away, Kowal pulls off a few directorial tricks that make for an engaging mystery, while adding layers to John that feel natural even in the midst of the craziness that begins to overtake the film. While there are noticeable portions of the last half of Lullaby that significantly lag due to a couple of drawn-out scenes overstuffed with exposition, the backstory that is unveiled proves to be emotionally intriguing. Hoadley, Charek, and Disney all do a fine job of playing to an atmosphere rife with uncertainty, tension, and even sadness. Sure, Kowal’s script does see trouble spots of clunky dialogue and awkwardly handled exchanges, but the overarching tale he weaves is believable and solidly crafted.
From a technical standpoint, Lullaby has the look of a competently made cinematic effort for its meager budget, though the quality of its visuals do not always align with the greater quality of the story. There is something slightly off with the film’s lighting, which doesn’t quite capture the dark and secretive vibe that is consistent in the story; even many of the shots in the basement set feel a bit too bright. Luckily, the visuals are efficiently elevated by a very creepy and sparse soundtrack, primarily consisting of a lullaby-style chime (naturally) and a dark synth that is reminiscent of droning ’70s horror scores. Backed by this sonic foundation that works well to amp up the tense atmosphere when it is most needed, Kowal’s use of quick cuts during some of the moments of frenzy John experiences proves to be very effective in conveying a sense of agitation and questionable sanity
As a whole, Lullaby approaches a straightforward psychological tale in surprisingly creative ways, though it’s not without its faults; Kowal’s methods as a first-time director are definitely spirited but are still rough around the edges. To his ultimate credit, the more ingenious turns in the story and emotional subplots implemented here work well and make the more technical misfires easier to forgive. With some more fine tuning, it would be nice to see how the film could stylistically elevate the unsettling nature of its examination of obsession and delusion, though Kowal does still notably succeed in solidly crafting a story that the viewer actually cares about.
In the end, Lullaby is an unexpected showcase of equally engaging and creepy moments, and it is refreshing to see an indie horror film on a shoestring budget approached with such pluck. Kowal seems to have some very distinct and inspired ideas brewing; we can only hope that the support behind him continues to grow so that he may further explore the reaches of his promising storytelling and filmmaking prowess.
Have you had a chance to catch Lullaby? Sound off in the comments below or tweet me (@TheAriDrew) and share your thoughts!
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Film
Categorized:Reviews
