Directed by: Steve Gibson Written by: Steve Gibson Genre: Thriller 105 min |
THE LOST WITHIN
People are not always as they seem. Even the odd ones. Especially the odd ones. Jon (David Gries) is about to find out just how much of an outer mask people actually wear. Doing research for his upcoming book, he is directed to a recluse who permanently resides within a hotel, on the outskirts of the city. Having had some dreadful interview experiences recently, he is delighted when this woman turns out to be unusual, but not unapproachable. Agatha (Jami Tennille) seems to be a nice enough woman. Withdrawn, reclusive, and yet quite polite and friendly. Until that is, she decides she doesn't like you. We're informed of this within the film. After a meeting or two, not only does Jon decide she's perfect for his book about shut-ins, he also slowly becomes attracted to her. Maybe attraction isn't the right word, more like obsessing over her. As this thriller, directed and penned by Steve Gibson progresses, we soon find out that everybody, even seemingly harmless people like Agatha, have things to hide; emotions to bury and experiences to run from. Ever so slowly, "The Lost Within" unveils it's secrets in the hopes that we, the viewers, are still on point. It's a pleasantly successful formula that I was more than happy to be watching unfold. The performances by Gries and Tennille are solid, if not close to unbreakable, and the pacing of the film, although a tiny bit slow moving sometimes, does the job and brings us from points A, to B and finally C with a steady, solid flow.
"The Lost Within" holds some spectacular, for an independent film, camera work and also happens to feature some excellent audio. It's not all perfect, as this movie does weigh on the long side of the scales, but not so far as to leave you waiting for those credits to roll. And minor flaws in the post production work are easily forgotten, or overshadowed by the many better aspects of the film. David Gries nails his performance and never feels fake or wooden. I couldn't help but constantly think how much he reminded me of Tobey Maguire, in his role as Peter Parker/Spiderman. Considering Parker also happened to be a reporter was just the inside joke playing through my mind. As for Jami Tennille, she simply came off as Agatha. That's not a bad thing. Forgetting that a character is actually just a fiction, is always a plus in my books. What also managed to get my attention was the supporting cast. Each member of this crew I have no doubt could pull off their own lead roles in film. Maybe they already have. Whatever the case, they pull their roles off well. Truth be told, in the way of the cast, some really excellent work was done finding these talented people. This is a film that plays out like real life, thanks to the talent in front of the camera. Generally speaking, the entire film runs like a production with a lot more cash behind it than it probably had. One of the really nice things I noticed about "The Lost Within" was an attention to detail not normally seen in the indie, low budget film world. Some excellent foreshadowing and a generally nice pacing, all help to keep your eyes on the screen. I also couldn't help but think that Steve Gibson would probably pull off an excellent "all out" horror film. Some of the scenes and shots within this movie just reeked of a scarier genre. Contained inside "The Lost Within" these scenes managed to add that certain... creepy element, to what we would normally consider a standard thriller. Without a doubt, another of this title's high points. Solidly above average and easy on the eyes, "The Lost Within" is a great independent feature to spend some time with. The feeling of what's just beneath the surface, adds the perfect unknown element making this an easy sell. I would love to tell you what the big secret was. In fact, I'm dying to write it out. I suppose like all good things, you're simply going to have to wait. If this review is simply not enough, why not check out their social pages. You never know what spoilers will be accidentally leaked on their end. |
