THE BEACH HOUSE on Shudder is a horror movie. It manages to cram a lot of story into their runtime of 90 minutes. In a really good way! You may think you know where this will happen when the first small twist comes along. Then come the next twist, and a little turn again.
If you’re a fan of genre films from the 1950s to the 1970s, then you should recognize the vibe. From Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) to Alien (1979). Hell, even if you’ve just watched the 2002 Cabin Fever by Eli Roth, you’ll recognize the style.
Once again, I do mean this as a huge compliment. The Beach House is still very much its own story and movie!
Women have always kicked ass in genre films and The Beach House certainly embraces this plot driver. Overall, through the entire storyline – and the twists along the way – we’re focused on a few characters. We follow them and essentially experience the events unfolding with them.
None more so than the character portrayed by Liana Liberato. You probably recognize Liana Liberato from the horror-drama series Light as a Feather on Hulu. Or maybe the 2013 horror movie Haunt or even a few episodes of Sons of Anarchy.
She’s still young (born in 1995), but she has done quite a lot of movies and series already.
Co-starring as the boyfriend of Liana Liberato’s character, Emily, is Noah le Gros, who portrays his character with honesty and heart. And yes, Noah le Gros is the son of James le Gros (Wildling). If the name wasn’t a clue, then the fact that the two look very much alike probably would have made you wonder about this.
In The Beach House, Liana Liberato plays Emily and works perfectly as our main protagonist. She’s the smart and modern woman, who could easily have turned victim, but instead becomes a real fighter!
Also, it’s made very obvious from the beginning that she tends to be the most intelligent person in the room at all times. She’s not a rocket scientist, but she’s definitely working on getting to the same level.
Of course, she’s also a badass survivor in the style of – dare I say it?! – the iconic Ellen Ripley of Alien. No, I’m not saying The Beach House is on par with Alien. It doesn’t play out in space and is a totally different movie all-together. However, in terms of characters, Liana Liberato’s Emily is comparable to the Ripley character.
Also, there is at least one scene of intense body horror that will make many people squirm!
The Beach House was written and directed by Jeffrey A. Brown and it’s his feature film debut. He directed two short films prior to this (which he also wrote) and now came the time for a feature film. Hopefully, this will be far from the last feature film by Jeffrey A. Brown, if this is the level he can deliver with his debut!
Previously, Jeffrey A. Brown worked mostly as a location manager (as Jeff Brown). He worked on lots of movies, including most recently The Dead Don’t Die (2019), as well as TV series such as Fringe and The OA. In other words, he’s been in the business much longer than his resume as writer and director shows.
Overall, you should check out The Beach House simply because it feels like a love letter to genre films and fans of them. Don’t let the cute and simple title fool you. The Beach House simply refers to the gorgeous house from which everything goes to hell in a handbasket… and fast.
The Beach House is out on Shudder from July 9, 2020.Details
Director: Jeffrey A. Brown
Writer: Jeffrey A. Brown
Stars: Liana Liberato, Noah Le Gros, Jake Weber, Maryann Nagel
Plot
Escaping to a family’s beach house to reconnect, Emily and Randall find their off-season trip interrupted by Mitch and Jane Turner, an older couple acquainted with Randall’s estranged father. Unexpected bonds form as the couples let loose and enjoy the isolation, but it all takes an ominous turn as increasingly strange environmental phenomena begin to warp their peaceful evening. As the effects of an infection become evident, Emily struggles to make sense of the contagion before it’s too late.
