User reviews

Once again, a glorious reminder that in order to be impactful, horror movies don't need a big budget. "You'll Never Find Me" effortlessly proves this point, delivering a very tense and impactful experience that lingers long after the credits roll. "You'll Never Find Me" doesn't rely on cheap jump scares; instead, it builds a slow-burning tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat. This Australian horror gem is a testament to the fact that a well-crafted story, combined with thoughtful direction and a dedicated cast, can create an atmosphere of dread and suspense that rivals any blockbuster production. It's such a joy seeing a passion project work so well on all levels.

If twisty turny stories are your thing, then look no further.

Is it an arthouse movie? Is it a horror? A psychological drama? Is it all of the above?

Without giving too much away, I would say that some people will hate the very slow and deliberate script, direction and editing of the 'action'.

I loved the to and fro of the dialogue in the first hour which makes you think the story may go one way or another. Then, when the movie makes its decision it is still compelling, The end was a little contrived for my liking but still, those with a little patience will love the movie.

Has to be said the acting is first class.

What a mixed experience this turned out to be! The writing constantly keeps you guessing for the first two acts, and the fantastic sound design and lighting choices add to the underlying mystique. The two lead performances are deliciously first-rate, making us question their inner motives with each passing scene.. at least for a good chunk of the film's first hour. The framing in these sections consists of several uncomfortable, unforeseen close-ups. But by the time it moves into the final act, a sudden wave of "oh no!" just takes over, replete with overblown edits and messy color patterns.

And to think, the same film effortlessly made me feel on edge during the initial (often philosophical) exchanges between the two characters, further deflates the experience overall. The woman character, especially, is oddly written. There are stretches where we as audiences are made to think she's harboring some dark secrets (or questioning if she's even a real person or just a manifestation?), and a little later, the same applies to the man. This leads to random jumps in character perspectives, albeit for short periods. Also, while the man's state of mind gets somewhat better detailing in the final act, the woman's side of things lacks a finite arc (..and was that even intentional?).

I feel sorry for those who can't develop critical thinking and understand the meaning behind what's shown to them.

This movie is meant for those who can catch simple details AND PAY ATTENTION to the dialog. Everything you'll need to know is there, between the lines: the reason why Patrick thinks the woman's face is familliar, the reason why the woman "changes" her story (where she came from, why she initially says she wants a lift...).

The movie got me hooked till the very ending, when it all made sense.

For me it's a solid 7, they made the best they could with what they had, and succeeded....

Great first act of tension building and mysterious intrigue... starts to lose itself pretty quickly and by the final act it's a complete and total mess with zero resolve. There seems to be this recent trend of writers just completely unable to create an ending. In this case it feels a bit like they not only ran out of ideas, but budget as well- as the finale just ends up being a disjointed pile of cheap horror imagery. Great performances, and there's probably a movie in here somewhere that could have been great- sadly it just feels like it has no idea what it wants to be, and never recovers from the confusion. Ends up being a waste of time unfortunately.

The challenge with single-location thrillers or Chamber Pieces (as they call it in cinematic term) is the scarcity of inciting incidents.

Due to the narrative being confined to a singular space with limited number of characters and resources, there is minimal room to expand or experiment

As a result, stories often become repetitive, caught in tiresome cycles. Only exceptional performances from the ensemble and a captivating script with impressive dialogue writing can elevate these elements beyond the anticipated stillness.

I'm pleased to report that "You'll never find me" possesses all of the above qualities and more.

The remarkable cinematography and stunning sound design immediately draw us in from the opening shot, The narrative style keeps us on our toes, with morsels of information prompting us to question the unfolding events. Not to mention, the dynamic between the two central characters maintains our interest until the very end.

There were indeed some moments of ambiguity in the storyline that mandated clarification, I still consider it to be one of the standout psychological thrillers that came out in the recent times.

This had some quite solid concepts going for it, unfortunately it was far outshined by its super slow pace and superfluously wordy dialogue.

Not all too much happens until about an hour in. The tension and intrigue are there but it just moves so wildly slow and for the entire first half the characters just take turns saying the most random, cerebral bs to each other... it was kinda wild.

The acting was quite good from both the leads. The ending bit proved to be interesting but not quite enough to save it. With what they had, I think this would have made a lovely little successful short film.

Unfortunately with this execution, it just didn't quite cut it for me. I would recommend if patience is a virtue that you possess. 4.5 rounding down to a 4.

This year has seen the release of another slow-burn horror film that is underrated. This film is not only underrated but also quite entertaining but it's slightly close to a 7/10 unfortunately.

The cinematography is well-paced and smoothly delivered, ensuring a steady and unshaken viewing experience. This is undoubtedly one of the strangest horror films I've ever watched, but it's not bad. It could have been worse, but about 60 minutes in, the third act took an unexpected turn. I thought I was going to give up, but I persevered. 'You'll Never Find Me' almost feels like an experiment exploring the modern erosion of societal trust. Its themes and messages are as clear as day, even under the cover of night. Bell and Allen masterfully play with every situational expectation, from Patrick's reclusive behaviors to the innocent young woman who seems destined for a missing person's photo on a milk carton. There is enough bubbling tension and otherworldly suspense to keep us engaged, even if the concept tests our patience at times.

In Conclusion: 'You'll Never Find Me' finds horror in the mere existence of humanity. Despite this, it doesn't fail to be both relevant and horrifying. The third act, in particular, gave me a jolt, as if I'd been kicked in the boot, but it only added to the overall suspense and intrigue of the film."

I never leave reviews. I think this is my first review in 15 years. But I am so offended by this pretentious piece of garbage, I have to (briefly) vent my frustration, anger, annoyance, boredom, etc.

I gave one star each for the sound design and for the acting. I feel really bad for the lead actor because boy, did he deliver. He's like that student in a group project who ends up doing all the work while everyone else just slacks. Not that the girl was bad, but she could have delivered more.

Talk about a movie that asks too much of its audience. Seriously, do the filmmakers realize that we, the audience, are gifting them our valuable time to watch their movie? No. We are INVESTING our time, so it's not a big ask to have them deliver something worth our while.

I usually really enjoy slow-burn films. But if you're going to make an avant garde slow-burn, PLEASE keep us interested. WE WANT TO BE INTERESTED. But no, in this case they bored us to tears. And those of us who doggedly stuck with it until the bitter end received no reward. And that's what angered me.

Do yourself a favor and skip, unless you have a hard time falling asleep at bedtime.

This movie had the potential to be something amazing with the initial one hour that it takes to set everything up. However, in the end the creators went for a weak ending which didn't stack up to all the investment made by the viewers upfront. It almost seemed like theu ran out of ideas on how to end the movie and took the easy way out. The acting is on point and the tension is always there. The camera work and the lighting is also done super well. The ending for horrors or thrillers are hard to set up, but the disappointment becomes even more pronounced when the story holds a lot of promise upfront. This is such a case.

Well made smaller Horror flick from Australia!

Good and slower paced, what a nice surprised this one has been. Good acting, minimalistic and well worth the watch.

Wasn't expecting much but it was very enjoyable. The ending wasn't perfect but as with most movies that I end up enjoying alot, the adventure to the end was the best part.

Taking its time to sink its teeth into you instead of going crazy right off the start like many horror movies do these days. They don't earn all the crazyness, but this movie knows how to do pacing very well. Some might find it a tad to slow but for me these are my favorite horror movies, taking there time to sink there teeth into you.

Also its caustrophobic, it takes place pretty much mostly in one small trailer home and it works very well doing it like that. Good, but not great, do to the average ending.

I mean how do you write a movie so well & film it so perfectly & then say its just another one of those movies bro you'll like it.

Its like hyping up a birthday present for your friend, you kept it a mystery & then you opened it like a grand prize in front of all the guests on his birthday & its just a dusty old broken playstation 2.

The first 1 Hour of this movie was very good, it was confusing in a good way, playing with your mind & kept you guessing & it was pretty cool to see a low budget movie doing something that effective. Not many movies do that nowadays. And then theres that last 30 Mins, it just becomes a tired old typical routine cliche horror movie that we've been seeing since the beginning. WTF!!!

The movie does a massive REVEAL in the last 30 Mins & IF they tried & did it right with a new concept or epic reveal that makes the story insane. Then that would've been SOOO awesome but thats not what happened.

Instead it showed us what any normal person would've guessed right at the beginning & thought "thats probably not what this is" & continued watching this failure of a movie thinking hes going to see something really cool on screen. Newsflash! Its EXACTLY what you think this is. A typical hollywood tired old horror flick with nothing to show for. And they also do the typical hollywood mumbo jumbo of "VISIONS" & "MADNESS" type of scenes in the end & then abruptly end like as if NOTHING happened. Its SOOO cliche, pretentious & boring. I cant believe it!

If you want a mystery that is slow burn & very well written dialogues & cool cinematography & some really good mystery. Then it IS present here in the first 1 hour of this movie. Check this movie out if you want to see that but thats all this thing got. It falls on its face flat as soon as it reveals what it really is. Its a mediocre tired old typical horror movie that we've been seeing since the 80s.

1/10 for me. I gave a low rating even though it deserves atleast a 4 but i wont give it that because i cant encourage such pointless movies. I just cant.

There will be no middle ground on this one. If you don't like slow burns, and psychological horror then move on. Other viewers will be in for a treat.

There are fair comparisons to "Maniac," but unlike the 1980 cult classic, I don't think you'll see the twist coming. Brendan Rock is phenomenal in the lead role of Patrick. The cat & mouse game of paranoia between him and Jordan Cowan keeps you guessing.

No spoilers here, but stick with the film to the end. It is absolutely a slow burn. But the third act grabs ahold, takes you on a psychotic ride, and makes you ask "What the Hell is happening?!"

Then it all comers together in a really clever ending. Everything was laid out for you the whole time. Just pay attention and enjoy.

This film is absolute nonsense that is so pleased with itself . It try's very hard to be suspenseful and edge of your seat but the dialogue is ridiculously contrived and stupid. An overly dark caravan setting adds absolutely ZERO to the attempt at being atmospheric and suspenseful, al, it does is annoy the viewer as nothing can be properly seen. If your whole movie contains only two people you'd better be sure that the story is good enough to hold the audience. Good movies do not have to try too hard to hold their audience and the story will keep the viewers interested. This movie just made myself as the audience wonder why the hell am I bothering with this pretentious self absorbed crap. The reality is I just wondered why am I wasting my time with this pointless nonsense. Save yourself feeling cheated and avoid this .

This is a slow burn horror film...If you lack the attention required to follow dialogue between two characters, you might be saying "nothing happens at all" or utterly no sense...There are no jump scares, or cheap thrills here. It centers around a man who is wrestling with his own demons and guilt...

The final act tied everything nicely together and the ending leaves you confused, maybe angry at times but it's all about justice or vengeance for evil minds...The build-up deserves so much more. But it's still well worth watching... The main two lead characters did their best of ability in bringing out the best of what writing was intended too...

Need not mention the cast or rest of the crew as they have succeeded in their individual output... Overall Stunningly claustrophobic two-hander which offers a proper masterclass in building unbearable tension & watch it only if ur fan of mind- bending movies that may challenge ur movie sensibility...

Where do I even begin with this one.....

This is one of those films with one setting, two actors and a whole lot of dialogue, and I wish I would have known that before hand. While these types of films can yield some pretty excellent results, what we got with this movie was a whole lot of words that ultimately meant very little. You have one male actor and one female actor that are obviously talented and skilled in their craft, but what they were given to work with was so beneath their ability that I wondered who the target audience was for this movie. It's not a purely horror film, since nothing truly horrific ever happens, it's also needlessly dramatic but can't be labeled as a drama, so what genre were they going for?

The movie also has all of these noises and loud bangs that kept alluding to something outside of the trailer, and it made it really difficult to truly understand what exactly was transpiring in the film. Is there something outside of the trailer? Is it trying to break in? Why is it so noisy if it's not trying to enter? But the movie isn't even about a supernatural force or even a creature feature; it's literally two people, sitting across from each other, trying to sit out a storm. But so much of what happens makes no sense in the grand scheme of the film, and in the end I just stopped caring. I literally went to turn the movie off 20 minutes before it was over because I just didn't care anymore. What was an interesting premise quickly devolved into a mess of a film that did not satisfy any of the requirements necessary to make a successful horror film, or even a reasonably entertaining one.

The one saving grace of the entire production is the acting. Both leads are SUPERB and really sold their predicament with undeniable craft. Kudos to them.

The rest of the film is a mess, and as a horror fan, this left me feeling like I wasted my time. It's not a movie I would ever recommend, and I'd urge anyone thinking of watching it to reconsider their decision. Don't make the same mistake I did.

Short review: Oh yes, this was exactly the kind of film I was looking for. On a dark and extremely stormy night at the back of a trailer park our story takes place. First of all, what a terrific setting for a horror movie. From there we meet our two main characters, both shrouded in mystery. And we get the pleasure of spending the next 90 minutes trying to workout their motives and backstory. This film was a blast.

The dialogue has to be good in a movie like. It's that simple. If it isn't, the film will fall flat on its face and will become like watching paint dry. Luckily, the film has extremely well crafted and interesting dialogue that carries the movie through.

Probably the only let down for me was the ending. It wasn't a bad ending, it just perhaps wasn't the ending I wanted. Otherwise though I had a great time with this movie and will happily add it to my list of great Australian horror films. 9/10.

From start to finish, this film masterfully delivers the tension essential to a successful horror narrative. The careful interplay of visuals and music creates an atmosphere that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats throughout. The cinematography is particularly striking, with each frame crafted to enhance the overall sense of unease. As the story unfolds, it leads us down unexpected paths, constantly challenging our assumptions and leaving us to ponder its deeper implications. And when it all comes to a head, the conclusion feels both satisfying and thought-provoking. Suffice it to say, I'm eagerly anticipating delving into the director's other works after such an exhilarating experience.

At one point of this... whatever that was I saw, I have to stop it and come here just to read the reviews and decide by myself if it was worth keep watching until the end.

I was kind of confused by the mixed reviews because they are in the middle... So I watch it until the end... Okay let me save you some time. The movie is all done in one trailer with only two people talking, talking and talking... talking and talking and talking so more, thunder and rain and you won't ever know what is going on... not even at the end.

There's no point in spoiling anything, because it is not worth your time.

It's utter crap.

I went into this movie blind. I didn't even watch the trailer. I'd seen the fantastic poster art on Shudder's Instagram posts, but outside of that, I wasn't sure what to expect. It turned out to be a great decision.

Even if I figured out the mystery within the first ten minutes of the runtime.

Predictability can be a negative, but it wasn't in this case.

The overall quality of the filmmaking at play here made up for the ruined surprise.

It's an interesting, intellectual tug-of-war as a viewer. All of us have our own biases and world views, and we all have an internal radar that pings when we meet someone. This sixth sense pings whether we like it or not, and it's not always reliable, but that's the game. Will you emotionally invest in Patrick, the sad, lonely widower, desperately attempting to be a good Samaritan? Or will you throw your lot in with the brash visitor whose intents are as mysterious as her origin?

One sentence summary: A woman knocks on a paranoid man's door late at night seeking refuge from a raging storm.

You'll Never Find Me was a film filled with quiet tension, forcing me to dive into the psyches of the two characters as they tried to decipher the other's intentions. It all took place in a single setting, which amplified the lingering feeling of claustrophobia and inescapability. The dialogue between the characters wasn't overbearing, but it did hold an air of crypticity for me to unravel. One of the few things I would ding it for was the sluggish pacing in the first few acts. There were still moments and concepts to provoke during this time, but I think it would've been wise to kick the movie into gear a little earlier. What I can't fault however is the conclusion of the film, as it emphatically answered most questions while still leaving me with something to think about after the credits rolled. I was hoping to get this review out before Halloween, but if your like me and watch horror movies year round, I don't think you can go wrong watching this Shudder Original.