‘Trim Season’ Is Stylish And Effective Cannabis Horror Laced With Dread [Overlook Film Festival 2023 Review]
Josh Korngut
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Horror and cannabis are as good of a pair as chocolate and peanut butter. The heightened emotions which accompany a healthy high, when used under the right circumstances, team perfectly with the elevated fear rushing through our nervous systems while enjoying an effective scary movie. Trim Season, the latest cinematic joint from director Ariel Vida, is a cannabis-themed supernatural trip worth investigating.
In the film, two friends escape the city to a cannabis farm for a couple of weeks in order to earn some much-needed cash. Protagonist Emma (SICK‘s Bethlehem Million) has lost her job and her apartment and is running out of options fast. Supportive best friend Julia (Alex Essoe of Starry Eyes fame) is along for the ride. The burgeoning trimmers are joined by a ragtag team of hopefuls, including Scream: The Series standout Bex Taylor-Klaus as Dusty.
These three genre gems provide the necessary gravitas when the horror starts to hit the fan. While some elements of this original and highly stylish indie outing are somewhat green in parts, the performances by Essoe, Million, and Taylor-Klaus elevate Trim Season into a trip worth recommending. Another stand-out in need of mentioning is Ally Ioannides, a dark horse whose bad decision-making is the catalyst for some particularly gruesome horror. If this were Evil Dead, she would have absolutely read from the Necronomicon.
And in line with the aforementioned Sam Raimi vehicle, this foray into darkness turns into highly stylistic campy mayhem. The first quarter of the film might fool you into believing this is a gritty ensemble piece, but in truth, there’s a healthy dose of deranged gothic camp injected just when it’s needed the most. Mona (Jane Balder, best known for the television series V) is a bizarre and earthy antagonist who will charm you into submission before setting you on fire to light her joint. She’s a joy to behold whenever she is on screen, and I would have liked to engage with her character even more than we already do.
While the benefits of this unique spin of folk horror eventually outweigh the lumps, there were some half-baked qualities to its supernatural abilities that left a sour taste in my mouth. When magic takes hold, and our heroes have little left in the way of autonomy, there are physical bodily choices that I believe could have been left at the door. There’s some outlandish horror here that awkwardly places the characters in combat both against themselves and their foes
And while some of the choices made in this film are imperfect, overall, Vida paints a beautiful and, at times, a stunning portrait of young people in peril. A looming and mean cannabis plant showcases a slick Wicker Man influence, while the woodsy setting and gothic undertones are a sight for red eyes. The direction is poetic and confident and showcases a talent that will be doing big things soon.
Overall, Trim Season is an original vision of folk horror with a talented ensemble and a gifted director behind the wheel. While some of the story leads the audience down sillier alleyways than I would have preferred, its relentless dread and oozing style make this a cannabis horror worthy of a rental.
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Trim Season
Summary
‘Trim Season,’ the latest cinematic joint from director Ariel Vida, is a cannabis-themed supernatural trip worth investigating.
