{"id":1975,"date":"2015-11-08T10:55:43","date_gmt":"2015-11-08T16:55:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/intheaudience.net\/?p=1975"},"modified":"2015-11-08T10:55:43","modified_gmt":"2015-11-08T16:55:43","slug":"play-hooky-2012-film","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/intheaudience.net\/?p=1975","title":{"rendered":"Play Hooky (2012) – Film"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Play Hooky”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Follow this link<\/a> for more information or visit the Official Website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A group of high school seniors decide to play hooky. \u00a0As each place they stop already has people or is a risk for getting caught, they finally decide to go to an abandoned psychiatric facility rumored to be haunted. \u00a0Once there, they accidentally get locked inside, they decide to do some exploring and look for a way out. \u00a0 Instead, they find what is haunting the place. \u00a0<\/p>\n

This low budget, indie, found footage film from first time writer\/director, Frank S. Patrilli, is quite a bit better than I expected. \u00a0The plot is fairly straight forward, a group of kids skipping school get into more trouble than they anticipated. \u00a0The first half of the film is slow, introducing characters, attempting to draw the audience in and establish a connection. This could have been tightened up a little, they didn’t need to actually have a scene at every place that wouldn’t work, those things could have effectively been incorporated into the dialogue, especially when they discussed ditching one of the group, saying that they’d been driving around for a couple hours already. \u00a0Once they arrive at the psychiatric facility, the pacing picks up to a good pace, and although certain things aren’t ever explained or explored, the path the story takes is solid and well executed.<\/p>\n

The cast is a mixed lot of talent, with the expected character stereotypes represented, especially when you consider that a lot of the dialogue was improvised as (per IMDb trivia<\/a>)\u00a0“the script was more of an outline”. \u00a0Carrying the camera (although he has plenty of dialogue, he doesn’t have much for a memorable personality), and never actually visible in the film, is Brad, J. Wright Chester (who co-wrote the story). \u00a0Brad’s cousin, the cool, rather douchey, somewhat mean spirited, guy with the car, Lance, is played by Vincent Kulish (who also co-wrote the story). \u00a0Kim Kleemichen, is Rosie, the tough girl, token lesbian. \u00a0Socially awkward, clumsy, and oblivious, Claire, is performed very well by Theresa Davis. \u00a0The audience is able to feel the discomfort and annoyance in multiple scenes which such social ineptness creates.<\/p>\n

However the most dynamic performances, the ones who really carry the film, are Becky Byres (choreographer and stunt coordinator), as Megan Burke, the naughty private school girl who has a crush on bad-boy-with-a-girlfriend, Lance. \u00a0She conveyed such emotional range, specifically the entire scene after the kids get caught by Megan’s mother, and she was walking from the house to the car, the implication that she had slapped in the face by her mother and knew there would be further repercussions, but the audience can see her pull herself together and decide to continue to play hooky. \u00a0 And Tom Petrone, as Buddy, the security guard. \u00a0Petrone is simply dead on with his performance and going back to watch this a second time, I was even more impressed with his timing and physical presence.<\/p>\n

Something that was touched on, but not explored, is once they are in the psychiatric facility and Megan suddenly starts having feelings of something being wrong. \u00a0Once she is convinced to continue on, she is seen dancing to seduce Lance, then Rosie, then she appears confused, as if she doesn’t know why she had done that. \u00a0Afterwards it is dropped and never revisited. \u00a0Was it intended to be a subplot of possession or some sort of psychic ability? \u00a0The world may never know.<\/p>\n

Very nice use of practical effects and implied gore. \u00a0With the shaky hand held camera and the first person perspective, the violence and gore was, again, better than expected. \u00a0I think, over all, this film was successful in what it set out to do, create relatable characters (some of whom the audience wanted to survive, and some, the audience loved the kill scenes), a creepy setting (if cliche), and a decent story. \u00a0The ending wasn’t great. \u00a0I would have preferred the film to end when the battery on the camera died, rather than the additional interview (explanation) at the police station\u00a0scene.<\/p>\n

Though, the low budget and inexperience is evident (and frankly, expected with a first feature length film), the drive and dedication makes up for it. \u00a0I look forward to seeing what these filmmakers have learned from this first film and how they have improved. \u00a0If you enjoy micro budget, found footage films, and appreciate the early efforts of indie filmmakers, I recommend this.<\/p>\n

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