Review: ‘The Good Couple,’ a sharp horror short

Some people are so in love with love that they become delusional about their reality. In Robert Gregson’s short horror film The Good Couple, currently making its rounds at several film festivals, Julia (Julie Ann Earls) barely treads tumultuous waters in her relationship with Dan (Alex Mandell), who’s down-on-his-luck financial status is a point of great contention between the two lovers. On this particular afternoon, an explosive argument threatens to completely detonate their romantic ties. In a huff, Dan bolts from their home and into the surrounding woodlands to blow off steam, leaving Julia in emotional shambles.

“What’s wrong with me?” implores Julia over the phone to her friend Claire. The domestic drama intertwines with a story falling in the shadow of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, at least ornamentally, allowing Gregson to play and pounce around this minimalistic and tense chiller. When Dan eventually returns, something is just a little off. His disposition has faded from antagonistic to consummate people pleaser, his personality seemingly having melted away. Julia and Dan must then set aside their silly squabbles and come together to destroy a dark entity that seeks to rip their lives apart. Earls dishes up a provocative, teary performance, pulling you right into the inescapable whirlwind, whereas Mandell’s portrayal is frequently unsettling in a subdued sort of way, and when the emotional switch-up happens, the film bursts with a muted uneasiness.

The only real downfall with The Good Couple is a brisk runtime; 13 minutes is not nearly long enough to fully appreciate the concept and Gregson’s smart filmmaking. Naturally, with a bigger budget and feature film length, he most certainly could deliver the goods.

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