Supernatural Horror You’ll Never Find Me (FANTASTIC) is a Slow-Burn Exercise in Dread
Title: You’ll Never Find Me
First Non-Festival Release: March 22, 2024 (Digital/Streaming Platforms)
Director: Josiah Allen, Indianna Bell
Writer: Indianna Bell
Runtime: 96 Minutes
Starring: Brendan Rock, Jordan Cowan, Angela Korng
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
This film’s review was written after its screening at the Fantastic Film Festival in 2023.
No matter how familiar a story, it can still be scary, exciting, or interesting with the right script. Two strangers with mysterious pasts and hidden intentions having a long conversation late at night sounds boring on paper. You’ll Never Find Me showcases the beauty and importance in how to maximize tension and thrills in an otherwise ordinary story or setting.
On a cold, stormy night Patrick (Brendan Rock) receives a knock at his door. He ignores it. Lately, he has found himself pestered by the neighborhood kids who have taken a liking to torturing him. The knocking persists, so he decides against his better judgment to check anyway. Outside is a woman (Jordan Cowan) shivering from the cold, asking if she can use his phone. The two decide to chat while she recovers from the weather despite Patrick not owning a working phone. This night won’t end quietly for either of them.
Gripping and emotionally turbulent, You’ll Never Find Me is a familiar yet rewarding horror chamber piece.
A masterclass in tension, Aussie thriller You’ll Never Find Me squeezes out incredible life from double entendre-laden conversation and mundane household tasks. Its mysterious opening sets the scene for its two main characters, Patrick and the Visitor, to go anywhere. Tension builds as the pair do relatively innocuous things. Patrick heats up some food for The Visitor. The Visitor takes a shower and changes her clothes. They each play a game of cards and recount regrets from their past. Because each of them has something to fear in the other, their healthy distrust leads to some unbearably tense moments that elevate the film splendidly.
Two initially enigmatic performances from its incredible leads gives way to a satisfying psychological cat-and-mouse game in the contained setting. From the beginning, both Brendan Rock and Jordan Cowan feed off each other’s energy in a captivating ebb-and-flow of suspicion and vulnerability. Rock presents as a misunderstood and lonely man, who begrudgingly opens up to a woman seeking shelter in the storm. Cowan imbues a sense of self-awareness and introspection that allows her to calm herself down from the raging monsoon outside the home. Both simultaneously are and aren’t what they seem, which makes it a fun challenge to nail down their intentions as they interact with each other and the space. Each tackles the rising emotions of the realizations of who they are with aplomb, leading into a breathless third act that allows the actors to truly flex their chops.
Although its mystery is easy to parse through, the magic of You’ll Never Find Me is the journey to its inevitable conclusion. The beauty behind this Aussie thriller isn’t in a shocking reveal or a left-field character revelation but in its consistent dedication to gradually escalating its story. Each choice the characters make has a rational explanation but darker implications. The rising tension mounts because the actions are so ordinary that they become relatable. While it’s hard to trust a stranger, it’s hard to distrust them when they seem to do everything right. This dilemma crosses both Patrick and the Visitor’s minds while they suspect the other.
Using its truly oppressive sound design, You’ll Never Find Me builds whispers into a chorus of revelation in its terrifying third act. Pounding rain and oppressive thunder set the scene before settling in for the rest of the slick indie flick. Its presence acts as a reminder that escaping this uncomfortable conversation is out of the picture for both characters. Somehow, the sounds crescendo even further by the time the film reaches its third act and becomes unbearable in the best way. A swooping score mixes in the sounds effortlessly, appropriately darkening the mood in the lonely cabin. Thunderclaps echo over the haunting revelations uncovered in the final games the pair play with each other before leaving the film’s final scene in relative silence and finality.
An exercise in patience, You’ll Never Find Me will not be a film that everyone enjoys. Its deliberate pacing and relatively simple story will frustrate horror fans that seek out spectacle. For those that appreciate strong performances and immaculate attention to detail in the technical aspects of filmmaking, You’ll Never Find Me will serve as an exceptional indie film to boast about to friends. It may be hard to find now, but once it hits Shudder, You’ll Never Find Me will be too easily accessible to not deserve a chance from you.
Overall Score? 8/10
