Starring: Dana Berger, Max Woertendyke
Directed by: Dane Elcar
Having a divorce on my record (thank the gods THAT one’s finished), I can understand the trials & tribulations of having a marriage go sour…but what if the impending split was the least of your problems? In Dane Elcar’s sci-fi/creeper, BRIGHTWOOD, we follow a couple ready to call it quits when their seemingly peaceful environment has other plans for them.
With Dana Berger (Jen) & Max Woertendyke (Dan) pulling the entire load of this presentation, they’re portraying a husband/wife duo whose bond has just about broken clean apart, and right off the bat you get the impression that this relationship may be FAR beyond repair. The twosome are off on a secluded woodland jog around a lake with Jen tuning out the world with her headphones in, and ironically enough listening to a podcast about divorce. Dan, on the other hand is playing the innocent role, already having been over intoxicating himself at a work party and attempting to schmooze Jen’s co-workers phone number from her…ooh, Dan – NO BUENO, my friend.
As their jaunt around the lake becomes more and more volatile in nature, something begins to seem off: no matter where they run to they just keep ending up in the same area…same sign by the lake…same stretch of wooded pathway – and wouldn’t you know it, their phones have no cell signal. Couple this with some very odd instances of a hooded figure blocking their path, Jen’s dropped earphones multiplying faster with every lap like a jackrabbit on a date, & the same unidentifiable fellow running into (and over) Dan repeatedly on the trail, and you’ve got the recipe for what looks like no escape from this cardio-nightmare.
As the two attempt to find ways to break the cycle of assumed lunacy, things begin to shift away from them in this contentious situation, almost as if they’re becoming different versions of themselves which could (possibly?) end this unnerving crisis. It’s got a very repetitious feeling to it (intended, of course), and with the creep-factor it compounds into almost a cautionary tale of sorts. Both Berger & Woertendyke hold their ground as the bickering, discordant doublet, and at times you get the feeling that they’re a split atom away from reconciliation, then POW! Not happenin’, Captain.
Performances, atmosphere & instances in this one make BRIGHTWOOD one of those “gotta watch” films – is it for couples? I normally would say yes to that, but make sure that it’s VERY EARLY on in the relationship with little expectation.
At the tender age of 6, Matt was indoctrinated into the horror genre by his mother, who asked him to sit down and watch "The Exorcist" with her - ever since then, it's been a blood-soaked, neon-lit, fever dream of an existence. "You don't make horror...horror makes you."
(Can't remember who came up with this quote, but he was probably off-kilter like I am).
