What Happened to Suzy review
An investigative horror movie that utilizes found footage and screenlife concepts to enhance the story…instead of relying on it.
New movie reviews will not contain spoilers.
What Happened to Suzy
Directed by James Ersted
Written by James Ersted and David R. Larson
Starring Dylan Nunez, Paul Parducci, Kira Omans, Ari Hader, Alain Mora, Betsy Baker, Nicole Andrews and Frankie J. Mitchell
What Happened to Suzy Review
What’s in a question mark? That is the question. Yes…I am going to begin this review with a patented obsession with something most people won’t notice and even fewer will care about. I promise this time it will lead somewhere. The poster for What Happened to Suzy has a big old question mark at the end of the title. It isn’t included in most places…including the film’s own credits. Does it matter? Not in the slightest. But it does open an interesting way to discuss the content of What Happened to Suzy. Question mark or no.
What Happened to Suzy is an investigative found footage/screenlife movie. Andy (Dylan Nunez) agrees to take part in a documentary about his missing sister in hopes of seeing the case reopened. It’s been years since the case went cold…the leading suspect beings Andy’s uncle Richard (Alain Mora) …a man currently incarcerated who claims to have been investigating a child abduction conspiracy. The documentary’s director Don (Paul Parducci) is willing to go to great lengths to make the best film possible…but those lengths are tested when Andy picks up Richard’s investigation…putting them all in danger.
With a question mark…the film’s title first with Andy’s perspective. His mission is to discover, no matter the cost, what happened to Suzy. Without it…the title fits the purpose of Don’s documentary (and, as a result, the footage that comprises the movie we’re watching). We find out what happened to Suzy. It serves as both the inciting incident (as a question) and the resolution (as a statement) of the film that bears the title. But it isn’t the only story going on.
Just under the surface, What Happened to Suzy is a story of obsession. Andy’s obsession with finding information on his sister’s disappearance…and Don’t obsession with making his movie. The latter plays out quietly to start…but it ends up becoming as much of a focus of the story as Andy’s investigation. Especially when the pair find themselves in the middle of a seemingly vast, and deadly, conspiracy. The investigation is aided by Cynthia (Kira Omans) and Al (Ari Hader). The latter is a computer expert who is able to dig up key information. The former works closely with Don. For a while.
Don isn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty to get the material he needs for his documentary. He’s bugged Andy and Cynthia’s computers…giving himself access to private moments and, more importantly, information. This is where the film’s screenlife aspect comes in. It’s a clever choice to have Don’s passion for the film match Andy’s passion for solving the mystery. It allows What Happened to Suzy to utilize multiple techniques while also having a good reason for viewers to see every piece of information they need without having to come up with a reason for a camera to be recording at all times. Don is watching everything…and so are we.
Obviously, this invasion of privacy doesn’t sit well with everyone when it comes to light. Cynthia is devastated by the betrayal. Andy is more inclined to continue because his investigation is yielding results. Results that put their entire operation in grave danger. It turns out Andy’s troubled Uncle may have been onto something all along. Something that you don’t just walk away from once discovered.
Aside from the screenlife elements, What Happened to Suzy tells its story through the found footage concept. It uses the format in logical ways given the documentary setup. Anyone averse to the found footage format won’t find the shaky camera and too dark settings that often plague them.
Dylan Nunez is terrific as Andy. He carries the bulk of the story on his shoulders. He gives Andy the realistic quality necessary for the story…with an obsessive intensity ready to boil over at a moment’s notice. The supporting cast is equally believable in their roles.
What Happened to Suzy both should and shouldn’t contain a question mark at the end. The question opens the door for Andy to uncover a dangerous conspiracy. The answer arrives in time to leave it as a definitive statement and satisfying conclusion to the story’s twists and turns. Two people obsessed with their individual missions find themselves embroiled in a dangerous conspiracy…unwilling to set their passions aside and getting closer to a deadly revelation. The story remains engaging as it unravels…leaving you wanting them to dig deeper despite the obvious dangers that lie ahead.
Scare Value
The best use of found footage has always been when there’s a narrative reason to have it. What Happened to Suzy has a great reason…as Don’s obsession with making his documentary quietly rivals Andy’s obsession with solving the mystery of his sister’s disappearance. We find out what happened to Suzy…at the cost of what happens to everyone trying to answer that question along the way.
3.5/5
