You’ll Never Find Me review
Shudder’s latest release is conversational horror done about as well as it can be.
New movie reviews will not contain spoilers.
You’ll Never Find Me
Directed by Josiah Allen and Indianna Bell
Written by Indianna Bell
Starring Brendan Rock and Jordan Cowan
You’ll Never Find Me Review
While both “one location horror” and “performance horror” could be used to describe Shudder’s latest new release…if we want to be as accurate as possible it’s time to coin another new term. You’ll Never Find Me is a conversational horror movie. What is a conversational horror movie, you ask? It’s actually easier to identify than some of the other subgenres we’ve used to categorize horror. Essentially, You’ll Never Find Me is a movie whose tension and suspense are derived almost solely through a conversation. This isn’t a movie where a line of dialogue or two results in a shiver down the spine. We’re talking a full two acts filled with nothing but a discussion between two characters.
That sounds boring. In most cases attempting to make a conversational horror movie would no doubt end up being exactly as boring as that sounds. It sure works here though. You’ll Never Find Me is as interesting as it is simple. A stranger, never identified by name, knocks on a lonely man’s door during a storm. Each is wary of the other’s intentions. For the time being…they’re stuck with each other. And so, the conversation begins.
We started off by mentioning some other (made-up) subgenres…and both hold true. The entirety of You’ll Never Find Me takes place in one mobile home. Hence the “one location” part. The success or failure of the movie relies fully on the performances of its two leads. Hence the “performance” aspect. The storm raging outside provides a narrative reason for the former. Brendan Rock and Jordan Cowan hit the latter out of the park. Rock is Patrick…the owner of the home. Cowan plays the unnamed arrival. The story of how she arrived at Patrick’s door never seems to fully add up. He’s suspicious of her stories…but lacks in companionship and decides to help her out.
The Visitor (as she is credited) is even more suspicious of her host. His offers of help never seem to extend beyond his own front door. There’s always an excuse that prevents him helping her actually leave the premises. For his part, Patrick is keenly aware that the Visitor is apprehensive. He doesn’t exactly go out of his way to put her at ease.
Rock delivers his lines in a patient manner that makes you question everything he has to say. Cowan plays her part with more trepidation…but it’s some of the things she says that may raise the alarm. While things change in the final act…the first hour of You’ll Never Find Me is spent with these two characters…joining them in wondering if anything is even wrong here. It’s entirely possible that the suspense the story builds is a simple result of strangers being forced into close proximity with one another.
That’s the trick that You’ll Never Find Me perfects. Each character will occasionally react to something the other says with a worried look. This sends your brain into discovery mode. What was the clue? What does it mean? Is there even a puzzle? Rock and Cowan play every word for all that it’s worth. We’ll eventually get the answer to the question that may or may not have been asked. Even then…everything may not be exactly what it seems. The atmosphere that builds for two acts destined to boil over. Whether there is anything for either to worry about or not.
You’ll Never Find Me isn’t a movie that is likely to inspire copycats. The formula is simple…but the execution must be perfect, or you’ll end up with a dud. The success here lies in simplicity. Instead of layering on loads of unnecessary fireworks…the movie plays it straight. Many actors would feel the need to fill the silence with excessive movements and hammy line readings. Rock and Cowan underplay everything. It’s unnerving in a way that movies rarely are. When the conversation is all that there is…every word matters.
As mentioned, things change in the third act. Things happen. Reveals occur. It’s an exciting climax to a story that builds to one. The flashiest moments happen in the final act. The most memorable ones happen long beforehand. They’re subtle. They may not even be there. That’s what You’ll Never Find Me brings to the table. Two great performers sharing a conversation that may be terrifying…and may be misunderstandings. While revealing the truth is both necessary and welcome…it’s the long conversation that leads there you’ll remember after the credits roll.
Scare Value
You’ll Never Find Me benefits from the rhythm of conversation. Deliberate pacing becomes hypnotic. Each line that doesn’t quite fit becomes a potential clue. For long stretches of time the mystery is whether or not there even is a mystery. You’ll question everything. Even when you think you’ve figured out where it’s heading…you might only be right for a little while.
3.5/5
You’ll Never Find Me Link
Streaming on Shudder
