The idea of exploring the dark, sinister underbelly of a seemingly idyllic small town is by no means a new one, but it’s one that has stood the test of time, especially in exploring some of society’s biggest fears and anxieties. The latest addition to that subgenre is I See You, which is written by Devon Graye and directed by Adam Randall. In it, we find ourselves in a town of most upper-middle class families, which is shaken after the disappearance of a young boy, the nature of which bears similarities to a set of kidnappings that have happened before.
One of the detectives on the case is Greg Harper (Jon Tenney), who is already dealing with a lot on his plate. His house is full of anger and resentment. His wife, Jackie (Helen Hunt), had cheated on him, and is trying her best to make amends, especially with their teenage son, Connor (Judah Lewis), who is still very angry with her. However, as the investigation continues going underway, strange things begin occurring in the Harper residence that defies explanation. These incidents soon begin escalating and start turning dangerous for the members of the family as they struggle to figure out what exactly is going on.
The most impressive element about the film is Randall’s direction. He clearly knows how to set an ominous mood, and how to keep it going for the duration of the story without feeling monotonous or tedious. The camera work is elegant, smoothly gliding along, adding to the dreamlike quality of it. The score also does a lot to add to the eerie atmosphere. It’s methodical in its pacing, but it doesn’t linger on things longer than it needs to. It’s a very well made feature, and it makes me more curious to see where Randall goes as a filmmaker from here.
The film sets up a lot of intrigue in its first half, setting up various questions about what is going on, and if certain things are connected. The second half pretty much serves to answer these questions, and it will probably be the thing that either makes or breaks the film for most. The way the script is constructed is that once we reach the halfway point, the film goes back to the beginning, and we see the events of the film from an entirely different perspective. It’s compelling to watch unfold, but because it plays out all the events in their near entirety as opposed to a quick montage. It is a bit frustrating at point, but the film does a good enough job at keeping you invested.
I See You doesn’t do a lot to break the mold of paranoid suburban thrillers, but it offers a fairly engaging genre bender that brings elements of noir and horror into a mix that, while frustrating at times, is pretty satisfying overall. The answers that it provides doesn’t take away from the intrigue that the first half built up, and it doesn’t feel like it relies on any trickery for its storytelling. The cast is also solid across the board, with Tenney and Hunt doing most of the heavy lifting, bringing gravitas to roles that might have seemed a tad undercooked on the page. It’s not necessarily great, but I think the people involved are very much capable of creating something genuinely special in the future.