The Horror Show
Don’t Leave Home
Michael Tully
Fancy a scary story? Michael Tully’s Don’t Leave Home is probably one of those atmospheric stories that sound disturbing, but in the end, are just another take on creepy mansions, sinister disappearances, and standard supernatural tropes.
Tully’s story follows artist Melanie Thomas (Anna Margaret Hollyman) who specializes in crafting intricate dioramas. On account of her latest project, she found herself immersed in a mysterious case that stirred up waves of distress in Ireland decades ago. The eerie disappearance of Siobhan, a girl who had seemed to strangely vanish off the face of the earth, inspired Melanie’s work; and her work didn’t go unnoticed. Siobhan’s father, Father Burke (Lalor Roddy), who is carrying his own dark baggage, shows great interest in Melanie’s piece, and invites her to Ireland so she can create a new commissioned piece of his vanished daughter.
Blending guilt and religion with horror, Tully’s tale takes place at a creepy gothic mansion, which clearly sets the tone for some paranormal action. Soon, she begins to experience bizarre visions and menacing dreams to the point that she can no longer tell what’s real and what’s fiction.
It’s clear Tully relies heavily on the setting. In his moody and atmospheric story, the sinister foggy landscapes play a key role in the movie’s pace, but while Don’t Leave Home is visually on point it seems they is merely enough to keep the viewers glued to the screen. We are most certainly not talking about a campfire story that can yield the right amount of jump scares or constant action. In fact, the film clocks in at a brisk 80 minutes, but somehow it feels like a stretched slow burner.
Apart for visually appealing cinematography (by cinematographer Wyatt Garfield), Don’t Leave Home is not the kind of strong horror movie to stand out from the crowd. It is probably one of those stories that are bound to be easily forgotten.
Maria Kriva, HMS
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