Blackwater Lane is a horror/thriller directed by Jeff Celentano and starring Minka Kelly (who plays Cass) and Dermot Mulroney (who plays Matthew, Cass’s husband). It follows Cass, who is a theatre teacher who, on her way home from work, sees someone she recognizes, only to later learn that this person was not only dead, but murdered. This death sends her down a spiral, as she begins to believe something is haunting her, or worse, hunting her down, and her peers are anything but supportive of her, as they do not listen to her and claim to believe what she is experiencing is some kind of mental illness.
My favorite thing about this film is how it feels so ambiguous as to whether anything supernatural is happening, whether the protagonist is insane or not, and how it brings up so many questions throughout its run. The sound design, music, cinematography and performances all contribute to this ambiguous feeling, which is resolved by the end of the film’s run.
This film is great at building suspense, as you are always kept on edge and wondering what might happen next. Elevating the film is Minka Kelly’s performance as Cass. She brings a believability to the terror and superstition her character is experiencing.
I also enjoyed the performances of the other actors. Every character feels so convincingly suspicious, and what these actors bring to their characters is a unique sense of intrigue. Blackwater Lane is a slow burn that ignites into a blazing inferno and once the smoke clears- there is a very satisfying ending! I really enjoyed this film.
Madelyn, Filmmaker Mixer Correspondent
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