Review: ‘You’ll Never Find Me’ is a ticking timebomb of tension and mood

With their debut feature, filmmakers Josiah Allen and Indiana Bell spiral into the darkest, murkiest depths of human consciousness. Steeped in atmospheric sights and sounds, You’ll Never Find Me swallows the viewer whole by exploring the best-kept secrets and lies we tell ourselves. Its reliance on a thunderstorm’s ravaging winds, haunting lightning, and bone-cracking thunder make for a surround-sound-like experience to run the blood cold. Packed with dialogue for the first hour, the film is a ticking timebomb, as each moment pushes you closer to an explosive, mind-numbing finale.

The story is a simple conceit. An older gentleman named Patrick (Brendan Rock) sits home alone during a terrible rainstorm. As the walls close in on him, he pours himself another drink. His reverie is broken when he hears a knock at the door. An unnamed woman (Jordan Cowan) stands before him begging to be let in from the rain. Soaking wet, she makes herself at home, but only at the behest of her consummate host.

The two talk. They talk about everything. Where they’re from, their biggest fears, ambitions in life. Everything. But as their conversations unravel, so does the truth about what the young woman is actually doing there. It’s a delicate dance, as each suspects the other of having ill intent. Much like a ship at sea, there’s an ebb and flow to their dynamic that keeps you hooked from the very first words uttered.

You’ll Never Find Me reads much like a stage play. The characters and their hidden motives are the driving forces rather than conceivable actions. Allen and Bell twist the viewer into knots with a glacial storyline that relies upon Cowan and Rock delivering nuanced performances that make you question even your own sanity. There’s no telling what might happen next, and the co-directors keep those cards close to the vest until the last possible moment. From its single location to limited cast, the film makes the most out of so little, backed by creatives who know exactly how to build mood, tension, and atmosphere. It’s an impressive showcase of class-A filmmaking.

You’ll Never Find Me arrives on Shudder this Friday (March 22).

Follow B-Sides & Badlands on our socials: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram