This is a dark movie. I mean that every scene is shot in very low light, sometimes to the point of making you strain to see what is going on. Probably this was intended to add to the depressing and gloomy feeling of the main characters, but some light and less shaky camera work would hardly cheer it up.
The woman is clearly a basket case, and maybe the film seems slow because so much time is spent showing this. For a low budget film, it's a worthy effort, and it's a good story, but I found it kind of dragging along. I would have liked a clearer understanding of how the husband felt, without just seeing him look sad all the time. His character is left to just show us that he seeks out other female company, but he is never shown explaining why. I guess his wife has always been a bit of a basket case? Or has been since the child got sick?
This is a very grim tale, but not particularly scary. I watch a lot of horror movies, so those who do not as well may find it more scary. It is not gory, there is some blood but nothing gross. Personally, I like my grim tales to be a bit more terrifying, or more of a thriller. The actors are good, it's not a bad movie, especially for the budget, but I can't help feeling this could have been better.
55 Reviews
Not that great
robhall_ie1 July 2020
I see other reviews singing I praises but honestly this movie left me flat and actually a little annoyed. The sound is a little off, too high pitched and irritating. Also assume overly loud or unusual effects used but they aren't scary and decrease from the visual action. You can say that these things are deliberately to try and unsettle and put the audience on edge. However I just think they don't work and come across as distractions. Likewise some visual filter effects.
The dual lead actors are both very good in their roles. You can get into their respective world's and understand their actions.
Overall I found the pace too slow to really hold my attention. I do love art house movies and also quite enjoy ponderous movies. Unfortunately this one just didn't create enough to engage me.
The dual lead actors are both very good in their roles. You can get into their respective world's and understand their actions.
Overall I found the pace too slow to really hold my attention. I do love art house movies and also quite enjoy ponderous movies. Unfortunately this one just didn't create enough to engage me.
Never Let A Crazy Woman Be On Top!!!
wandernn1-81-68327414 June 2020
Okay about 1/3 of the way into the movie I have no idea what's going on. Some weird scenes and general creepiness.
-1 Star for the Very stupid stupid Line Jack says ' I think you're just fine.' Who says that? That's just one of the dumbest lines ever.
At least that scene started to explain what was going on!!!!
But this dude..he's so annoying I just want to punch him in the face so hard......
But he really got a raw deal...in crazy fashion....
-1 Star For the boring, lengthy ending where nothing good happens.
This movie is really a testament to how misplaced a HORROR tagline can be.. This was really not a horror movie at all.
Really this movie was a real snoozefest.
3/10
-1 Star for the Very stupid stupid Line Jack says ' I think you're just fine.' Who says that? That's just one of the dumbest lines ever.
At least that scene started to explain what was going on!!!!
But this dude..he's so annoying I just want to punch him in the face so hard......
But he really got a raw deal...in crazy fashion....
-1 Star For the boring, lengthy ending where nothing good happens.
This movie is really a testament to how misplaced a HORROR tagline can be.. This was really not a horror movie at all.
Really this movie was a real snoozefest.
3/10
Watch at your own risk
ohmissamy29 April 2019
I attended Bare Bones Film Festival this week and was personally invited by director Mitch McCleod to watch his movie Silhouette.
I don't really like horror movies but my husband does so we went to watch it.
I have to say that my high rating is because I appreciated that it was a well done movie despite some of my own feelings. I did not like this movie. It's scary, disturbing, depressing, and unpleasant and I felt nauseous after watching it, mostly because of the finale.
Still, McCleod did a wonderful job evoking those emotions and the movie is a well told story with good acting by everybody involved.
It wasn't for me but I give it a high rating because if you like scary movies then you're going to enjoy this.
I don't really like horror movies but my husband does so we went to watch it.
I have to say that my high rating is because I appreciated that it was a well done movie despite some of my own feelings. I did not like this movie. It's scary, disturbing, depressing, and unpleasant and I felt nauseous after watching it, mostly because of the finale.
Still, McCleod did a wonderful job evoking those emotions and the movie is a well told story with good acting by everybody involved.
It wasn't for me but I give it a high rating because if you like scary movies then you're going to enjoy this.
How is this rated so high?
ryanpage-879877 June 2020
When looking for a movie to watch, I generally pop open IMDB to see what its rated. I trusted fan ratings until I saw this move. The lead actress did a nice job with what she had to work with but the other acting was underwhelming at best. The movie was slow, confusing, and the ending brought no closure whatsoever. It had potential, but fell flat on its face.
Slow Psychological Drama, not horror, not very good
NoHeadedHershel27 June 2020
Firstly, there's a little bit psycho in this, but only briefly; given it's nearly two hours long, it's a real slow burn, and it's certainly not something you want to watch if you're actually looking for a thriller or horror movie.
Secondly, there seems to be this philosophy amongst film makers that if you make things really slow; long, drawn out dialog, really slow transitions, long periods of someone just standing there doing nothing, maybe staring into a mirror, that that somehow makes for brilliant,deep, introspective films. It doesn't.
Lastly, it's also technically lacking, particularly the sound. Out of sync at first (I thought it was the streaming service), then horrible mixing, was extremely distracting.
All of these positive reviews must be friends, family, I don't know; even if this movie was your "cup of tea," it certainly wouldn't rate a ten. I mean, seriously? This rates with The Godfather? These reviews have obviously been stacked, don't believe them.
Secondly, there seems to be this philosophy amongst film makers that if you make things really slow; long, drawn out dialog, really slow transitions, long periods of someone just standing there doing nothing, maybe staring into a mirror, that that somehow makes for brilliant,deep, introspective films. It doesn't.
Lastly, it's also technically lacking, particularly the sound. Out of sync at first (I thought it was the streaming service), then horrible mixing, was extremely distracting.
All of these positive reviews must be friends, family, I don't know; even if this movie was your "cup of tea," it certainly wouldn't rate a ten. I mean, seriously? This rates with The Godfather? These reviews have obviously been stacked, don't believe them.
Identity Crisis
neverforgetdesign29 April 2019
"Silhouette is the story of Jack and Amanda Harms who, after the passing of their young daughter, set out into seclusion to begin their lives anew." ...So basically "Antichrist" by Lars von Trier but without the flawless cinematography, rich symbolism, intellectual storytelling, and authentic film-making.
I understand the technical restrictions that come with an Indie budget but objective and narrative are free and without these what is the point of creating? If the intention was to create a haunting, poetic, hypnotic portrayal of a soul in torment then it fell short for me. If it was to be a movie with cool effects and gore to simply entertain and stimulate then this was lost when the audience is forced to sit through a long pointless unrealistic substory of "will they or won't they". It seemed like they were trying to mix Drama and Horror which could have been an interesting experience had they been stronger individually.
I enjoyed watching April Hartman's performance. She did a good job of trying to create an unnerving emotional experience for the audience. I also enjoyed whether intended or not the interpretation of someone with severe mental illness being trapped in their own horror film. I liked that the visuals of losing control escalated as she slipped in an out of her own psyche. I did enjoy some of the brief hypnotic visual moments. They failed to be David Lynch-like to me when normalities were not manipulated and used to create unsettling, scary, or bizarre moments. I was disappointed that loud sounds were used as the main tool to momentarily jump the senses at the end of the scenes. Those tactics work short term but fail to truly provoke.
No story is original. Every story has been told a hundred times. It's not the story that matters, it's how you tell it and for me this film didn't know how.
I understand the technical restrictions that come with an Indie budget but objective and narrative are free and without these what is the point of creating? If the intention was to create a haunting, poetic, hypnotic portrayal of a soul in torment then it fell short for me. If it was to be a movie with cool effects and gore to simply entertain and stimulate then this was lost when the audience is forced to sit through a long pointless unrealistic substory of "will they or won't they". It seemed like they were trying to mix Drama and Horror which could have been an interesting experience had they been stronger individually.
I enjoyed watching April Hartman's performance. She did a good job of trying to create an unnerving emotional experience for the audience. I also enjoyed whether intended or not the interpretation of someone with severe mental illness being trapped in their own horror film. I liked that the visuals of losing control escalated as she slipped in an out of her own psyche. I did enjoy some of the brief hypnotic visual moments. They failed to be David Lynch-like to me when normalities were not manipulated and used to create unsettling, scary, or bizarre moments. I was disappointed that loud sounds were used as the main tool to momentarily jump the senses at the end of the scenes. Those tactics work short term but fail to truly provoke.
No story is original. Every story has been told a hundred times. It's not the story that matters, it's how you tell it and for me this film didn't know how.
Great Small Budget Film
lancerichards8 September 2020
Something to watch I guess.
geeari18 June 2020
Not for the youtube generation
Shemhamforash6666 July 2020
I'm going to start by saying that when it comes to a movie like this it isn't always going to be loved. It has its good reviews and it has its bad ones and I don't think it would be right to say who is wrong and who is right.
The director, Mitch McLeod, has created something that is filled with twists and turns and requires the maximum amount of attention to grasp the scope of the dark and haunting story that is being told here. Let's get something out of the way right now: this is a bleak movie. Anybody watching this who might prefer something that allows the viewer to breathe may want to look elsewhere because this is not that movie. There isn't a lot of hope in this one. It's filled with grim imagery and a depressing storyline that can only lead one to surmise that our storyteller's outlook on life is just as dreary as the film he has created.
This movie is another low budget effort, which is my favorite because it really shows you what the film makers are all about. They work with what they have here, and the result is something that I have fallen in love with. When met with such low budgets, one must have a compelling story and hopefully strong performers on hand to really drive it in and it certainly isn't lacking in these departments at all. Every performance in this movie goes beyond expectations and the performance of April Hartman is particularly heartbreaking.
This movie is not for everybody. It is slow, it is upsetting, and I agree with anybody who thinks that it might be a tad too long. In fact, if it hadn't been for the excessive length, I might give this a perfect score. It doesn't really detract from the experience, and I recommend this movie to anybody who doesn't mind something that takes a little time to get to its destination.
The director, Mitch McLeod, has created something that is filled with twists and turns and requires the maximum amount of attention to grasp the scope of the dark and haunting story that is being told here. Let's get something out of the way right now: this is a bleak movie. Anybody watching this who might prefer something that allows the viewer to breathe may want to look elsewhere because this is not that movie. There isn't a lot of hope in this one. It's filled with grim imagery and a depressing storyline that can only lead one to surmise that our storyteller's outlook on life is just as dreary as the film he has created.
This movie is another low budget effort, which is my favorite because it really shows you what the film makers are all about. They work with what they have here, and the result is something that I have fallen in love with. When met with such low budgets, one must have a compelling story and hopefully strong performers on hand to really drive it in and it certainly isn't lacking in these departments at all. Every performance in this movie goes beyond expectations and the performance of April Hartman is particularly heartbreaking.
This movie is not for everybody. It is slow, it is upsetting, and I agree with anybody who thinks that it might be a tad too long. In fact, if it hadn't been for the excessive length, I might give this a perfect score. It doesn't really detract from the experience, and I recommend this movie to anybody who doesn't mind something that takes a little time to get to its destination.
it has its issues
ops-5253528 June 2020
Its a drama, horror, mystery,crime and mental health disorder movie, with huge waves of religious vibes, stress, love ,hate,dreaming and flashbacking. its a film about the fresh start that turns rotten at an instant. its trully a depressive movie at many levels, not so scary, its more like a delutional state of hell.its death, no green leaves on the trees . its a grey, dark and red filtered visual flick that you should be mentally ready for, if your in a voulnarable state of life.
the production has a superb filmograpy and editing, but the sound management do have its issues with fading voices cause the soun boomers arms were too short, ,the dialouges are at times drown in background noise and chatter, and the score comes at a deafening level here and there, and that becomes annoying at times. its also slowpaced and the key moments in this couples life could have been reploted easily to make this a far more rational flick to watch.
but thats the opinion of a grumpy old man. the small cast do their work, the director works on a stimulated medulla oblongata, and therefore this riddleish product. its a recommend with precaution
the production has a superb filmograpy and editing, but the sound management do have its issues with fading voices cause the soun boomers arms were too short, ,the dialouges are at times drown in background noise and chatter, and the score comes at a deafening level here and there, and that becomes annoying at times. its also slowpaced and the key moments in this couples life could have been reploted easily to make this a far more rational flick to watch.
but thats the opinion of a grumpy old man. the small cast do their work, the director works on a stimulated medulla oblongata, and therefore this riddleish product. its a recommend with precaution
Sound issues
patrickjames131331 July 2020
The sound kept going in and out and that's a problem because I don't know what I disliked more, when I could hear it or when I couldn't. The lead actress overacts while everybody else
under acts and it is just unenjoyable.
What an Incoherent Cheesy Mess
Mehki_Girl16 July 2020
I'll not even finished this, but I'm so angry watching this incoherent cheesy mess that was shot in the dark so we can't see how awful it is.
No one can act their way our of soggy wet paperbag. I can't figure out the point of the movie and then the awful dialog, the bad, really bad "acting". So if you, turn in your saga cards.
What's the point? Is this about lying, cheating husbands? The devil? Monsters? Dead children? Madness? Does anyone ever turn the damned lights on? Ever?
A silly incoherent hot mess. When the wife screamed for 10 minutes in the middle of the movie, desperately trying to act (or maybe she felt like I feel watching this mess), I wanted to start screaming.
And what's with the bad sound? The ratings on here are friends and family.
Trust me this is 0 stars.
No one can act their way our of soggy wet paperbag. I can't figure out the point of the movie and then the awful dialog, the bad, really bad "acting". So if you, turn in your saga cards.
What's the point? Is this about lying, cheating husbands? The devil? Monsters? Dead children? Madness? Does anyone ever turn the damned lights on? Ever?
A silly incoherent hot mess. When the wife screamed for 10 minutes in the middle of the movie, desperately trying to act (or maybe she felt like I feel watching this mess), I wanted to start screaming.
And what's with the bad sound? The ratings on here are friends and family.
Trust me this is 0 stars.
Waste of time
minxxy-3684912 July 2020
I'm not sure who wrote the good reviews for this movie... but there are no subtle undertones, the performances are not good. The cinematography is not magical.
This is nearly 2 hours of nothing happening except for a women suffering from grief and depression go through some stuff and her husband trying it on with the neighbour.
The horror element is not "horrory" enough, the mental health part was not well done and the "religious vibes" needed some form of context.
All in all, this is simply just a terrible movie which if I had paid to watch it, I would have been demanding my money back.
This is nearly 2 hours of nothing happening except for a women suffering from grief and depression go through some stuff and her husband trying it on with the neighbour.
The horror element is not "horrory" enough, the mental health part was not well done and the "religious vibes" needed some form of context.
All in all, this is simply just a terrible movie which if I had paid to watch it, I would have been demanding my money back.
What am I missing??
josephpmcdowell26 July 2020
Not a horror movie!
osungurtekin9 July 2020
Terrible movie
nickpedersen24 December 2020
I am sick of the ratings here on imdb! 9 out of 10 movies that has an okay rating (5 or more) goes straight to the bin! They are lousy.....
This one is no exeption. The filming is really bad.... The directing is childish.... The story makes no sense whatsoever....... The actors were found in a supermarket somewhere....... Totally waste of precious time!
Not Bad At All
jwebber-0054526 June 2020
This is a low budget movie that is just as genuinely heart felt and emotional as it is scary and disturbing. It's also a drama about a failing marriage as much as it is a ghost story. It's clever and intelligent and even though a lot of it has been done before it plays out as a refreshing take on an old subgenre. It left me cold by the end, so I guess I will tell the people behind it job well done.
There is a few problems with this movie!
mikeyjay-7220113 September 2020
First of all I thought the storyline was extremely slow moving...some of the scenes just seemed to drag out for far too long, I wouldn't really call it a horror...I understand that this was a low budget film, however I believe that the camera work, the lighting, the score all made this evident. I almost turned it off halfway through, but I thought I would give it a chance. I feel as though if I had of turned it off, I wouldn't have been overly disappointed.
Light + Dark = Silhouette
azizahlucy26 September 2020
My thoughts on Silhouette!
It was dark and twisted to say the least. It had a thought provoking storyline that delved into each of the characters. It had a gloomy atmosphere but that what sets the mood of the film. A good movie to watch on a quite Saturday curled up on the couch. All in all, I enjoyed it and that Jack Harms is HOT!!!
It was dark and twisted to say the least. It had a thought provoking storyline that delved into each of the characters. It had a gloomy atmosphere but that what sets the mood of the film. A good movie to watch on a quite Saturday curled up on the couch. All in all, I enjoyed it and that Jack Harms is HOT!!!
Mixed feelings about this movie
mjsreg20 July 2020
It is certainly not the best movie in terms of production, but the story is interesting - with a good twist at the end, and the acting could be a little better.
But then - it is a really low budget film, so it deserves huge kudos for pulling off a film like this.
But then - it is a really low budget film, so it deserves huge kudos for pulling off a film like this.
Another Hereditary wannabe on Prime video
muybueno1619 August 2020
I am fine with indie horror films still circulating but much like renting from Redbox, you end up having to navigate thru so many poorly realized visions and wonder what didn't exactly translate. In this case, nothing resonated and the Tom Zembrod lead star was really atrocious to the point of being distracted.
I didn't have sound issues like other reviews pointed out but some of the scenes were too darkly lit by even HD standards and the slow motion edits near the end were unintentionally amusing. If you want a lesser version of Hereditary, check this out and watch it with pals who adore cheesy terror films but don't expect much to enjoy.
I didn't have sound issues like other reviews pointed out but some of the scenes were too darkly lit by even HD standards and the slow motion edits near the end were unintentionally amusing. If you want a lesser version of Hereditary, check this out and watch it with pals who adore cheesy terror films but don't expect much to enjoy.
Most boring movie ever!
avivitdemoze15 June 2021
Insanely boring movie! The plot is not clear and smeared like gum, everything progresses very slowly, it is not clear what exactly is going on and where the film is heading, it is certainly not a horror film, I found myself several times fall asleep during the film, I stopped watching after 40 minutes ...
the only good thing I can To say about the film is that the gameplay of the main character is just amazing and very compelling.
Besides, do yourself a favor and do not watch this movie.
the only good thing I can To say about the film is that the gameplay of the main character is just amazing and very compelling.
Besides, do yourself a favor and do not watch this movie.
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