There’s Someone Inside Your House (2021) Slashes Up Teen Horror with a 3D Printed Twist
Originally published November 9, 2021
Title: There’s Someone Inside Your House
First Non-Festival Release: October 6, 2021 (Digital/Streaming Platforms)
Director: Patrick Brice
Writer: Stephanie Perkins, Henry Gayden
Runtime: 96 Minutes
Starring: Sydney Park, Thèodore Pellerin, Asjha Cooper
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
When the murder of a seemingly well-liked football player shocks their small town and his dirty laundry revealed to everyone in the same night, Makani (Sydney Park) and her group of friends join in on the chorus of whispers pondering who could have done it. The body count begins rising and more secrets are exposed. Makani is terrified that her secret will come out of what happened at her old school and why she had to transfer. More importantly, she’s afraid she will be the next victim. When everyone is a suspect and no one is safe, all the seniors of Osborne High are on the kill list.
While a bit trite and derivative, There’s Someone Inside Your House is a fun teen slasher that hits all the necessary beats.
Light and moody teen horror, There’s Someone Inside Your House doesn’t set out to reinvent the wheel but also doesn’t live up to its intriguing premise. A predictable and hokey story still manages to be engrossing thanks to some great tension and buildup in its main action sequences. The dialogue can get pretty cringeworthy and unrealistic at times, but since its meant for younger audiences it’s best to take it in stride. Aside from one excellent stabbing scene, there isn’t much to be seen here that hasn’t already been done before in a slasher. Overall, it feels very rushed and doesn’t strive to be more than adequate. Personally, I believe this concept would work much better as a series instead of a standalone film.
There are also plenty of unbelievable moments spread out throughout the film. The fact that no one mentions a character having an entire wing of their house dedicated to Nazi memorabilia upon its reveal is suspect. After a rather important character is killed, there’s barely any mention of him for the rest of the film. Sure, time had passed but wouldn’t he still be on someone’s mind? These are just a few examples of the script showing its flaws.
The cast does a great job here despite a weaker script. Park and Pellerin are the standouts amongst the young cast. Makani is a flawed yet sympathetic protagonist who has truly made terrible mistakes. It’s interesting to see her character arc play out as she would undoubtedly be the recipient of audience derision had the movie focused on her story before moving. Other characters are not so lucky. They are introduced without much thought or care and are left to wander around until the next chase scene. It makes sense that there’s more people in the town than the core crew, but it feels like a waste of time getting to know people that are inconsequential to the story.
Underbaked social commentary on privilege and identity is sloppily strewn into the film. It’s very in your face and doesn’t do much to really deconstruct the themes its covering. The killer does make sense in this regard, even if from a story standpoint they don’t fit quite as well. Had more thought went into developing side characters beyond shallow stereotypes, there could have been a more compelling arc behind the killer and their motivations. It feels shoe-horned by the time the credits roll.
I can’t say that There’s Someone Inside Your House is a great movie, but it is certainly an entertaining one. There is just enough teen drama and tense moments to satisfy those who seek out young adult horror. It isn’t quite as groundbreaking or memorable as other films in the genre, but it generally works. Some moviegoers will be turned off by the sloppy writing or the lack of gore, which is fine. For those that want something tamer that still brings the thrills, this is the one to do it. There’s Someone Inside Your House won’t win any awards, but it wins in the hearts of representation for the everyday teenager with incredibly dark secrets that are hidden from google searches.
Overall Score? 6/10
