In the long history of horror, lesbian relationships have been something of a fixation for directors. This fascination produced camp wo...
In the long history of horror, lesbian relationships have been something of a fixation for directors. This fascination produced camp work, madly homophobic characters and, occasionally, refreshing representation. “Alone With You,” the feature debut from writer-director duo Emily Bennett and Justin Brooks, is the latest horror film to join that line. Unfortunately, her lesbian portrayal is so poor that her fears suffer as well.
The film centers on Charlie (Bennett), a makeup artist in New York who lives with his girlfriend, Simone (Emma Myles), who is a photographer. Charlie is thrilled to have Simone come home on their anniversary night, but as Simone becomes increasingly inaccessible and Charlie finds herself locked in their Brooklyn apartment, a more sinister tale begins to creep in. It seems that Simone is not who she says. is, but neither is Charlie, it seems.
First, the lesbian problem: the female leads never kiss (or, for that matter, touch), but there are several shots of Simone, who is mostly portrayed as careless and untrustworthy, kissing a man.
The horror problem is slightly less serious. “Alone With You” is often clever in its creepiness, layering ominous oddities on top of each other before the jumps appear. But because Charlie and Simone’s relationship is already in doubt, the whole third act – including the “why” behind all this terror – falls apart. Is Charlie a tortured lover or just another classic lesbian psycho? Either way, the film’s climactic reveal is regressive, treading the same ground as “High Tension” or “What keeps you alive.”
Alone with you
Unclassified. Duration: 1h23. In theaters now, On Demand February 8.
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