Sublet, The (2016)
Starring Tianna Nori, Mark Matechuk, Krista Madison
Directed by John Ainslie
A little bit haunted house, a little bit post-partum, and a whole lotta creepy add up to a genuinely fun watch in John Ainslie’s spooky space-for-rent The Sublet.
Now, upon first glance, you’d think that this would have all the bells and whistles of your standard fare haunted-house flick, and all things considered, it does. Yet, Ainslie opts to ramp up the tension with a full-frontal glare at the inner workings of a depressed new mom and how those intense psyche-rattlers can wreak havoc upon the mind’s most delicate fringes.
Tianna Nori shines in her role of Joanna (mom-in-question), and she’s paired with Mark Matechuk as her… ahem…”faithful” husband, Geoff, who may or may not still be doing the horizontal mambo with his ex-girlfriend (Rachel Sellan). Geoff’s a struggling actor, and despite the new addition to the family, he still merrily hops off for auditions and who knows whatever else, leaving Joanna to care for their child in the new apartment they’ve decided to rent. If the already damaging effects of such a mysterious and polarizing mental condition aren’t enough to contend with for Joanna, could it be that their new residence is haunted by the spirit of a vengeful woman? Time to call the rental agent if you ask me!
As the movie SLOWLY burns along, we see a separation of sorts between the two main characters, fueling emotions that lead to actions on both ends of the parental scale; yet, it all adds up to an overly frightening scenario that can toss and turn the viewers’ minds around at will. Is Joanna simply in need of a little rest and relaxation, minus the new baby, or is the building’s spectral guest-list ready to manifest itself more than it already has? Supported by bang-up jobs up and down the thespian roster, this film is one that will not only chill and thrill, but make you think twice about signing a lease in the near future.
The Sublet isn’t a shock-a-minute, and it definitely takes a majority of the runtime to get its legs at full-speed, but when it’s up and running, it’s a fun trip to take part in – well worth a watch.
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