‘Outlier’ Takes You On a Creepy Ride (Movie Review)
Movie Title: Outlier
Rating: 9/10
Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MqlF8UU4bQ
Director & Writer: Nate Strayer
Writers: Jona Doug and Nate Strayer
Style: Thriller/Horror
Length: 80 mins.
Website: https://randommedia.com/index.php/film/outlier-11-2021/
There’s an old joke that there’s an app for everything, and this movie seems to accentuate that fact, since it has a guy, Thomas, who says he has invented an app that can figure out who is in an abusive relationship, and how to get help for that person.
Because Thomas experienced such abuse in his past, he has developed this app. The character of Thomas, is played by subtly and hauntingly by Thomas Chelsek.
The movie kicks off with haunting music of this seemingly innocent guy, Thomas, which begins this noirish journey of filmmaking. He is chopping firewood. It’s a perfect setting for the frightening moments that lie ahead. Thomas is a guy you can find lovable, but immediately turn creepy.
It cuts to Olivia (amazingly played by Jessica Denton) who has an abusive boyfriend, James, (Logan Fleisher) as James who seems a bit crazy.
When Olivia and James argue at a gas station, it’s Thomas who happens to be pumping gas who comes to her rescue. He offers her a place to stay, and after thinking about it decides she has nowhere better to go at the moment.
Of course, things get weird. Olivia overhears Thomas talking to someone on the phone, maybe about her. She dreams about being chased through the woods, and thinks it’s a dream, but is it? Is the guy who seemed so altruistic really holding her prisoner?
This is a movie made during the pandemic, and it’s small and simple, with a tiny cast, but a chilling plot. It already won awards from the Oniros Film Awards as Best Thriller, Best Feature and Best Original Soundtrack, and well as Best Feature for a first-time director at the Los Angeles Film Awards and Crown Wood International Film Festival. At the Cannes World Film Festival, it’s been nominated as the Best First Time Feature and Best Narrative Feature.
Strayer wrote and directed this during a time of lockdown during the Covid pandemic and he said, “I think the story fits this time period as the film explores control, fear, and the relationship between those things. Olivia Davis, our main character, is driven mostly by other people, very passive at the beginning of this story. It’s similar to how life seemed to be going due to the pandemic. Everything in her life, and all her decisions are dictated for her until she finds the courage to figure out who she is herself, and make her own decisions after the pressure of being gaslit becomes too much.”
Much like Olivia, the filmmaker himself was only taking opportunities he was given to do other work rather than direct his own project. Now, he has even a small role in this film project as a guy, Charlie, who helps out Olivia too at the gas station. And, he needs firewood.
The movie was filmed in 50 days in cabins in Michigan that were empty due to the pandemic. With two crew and two last members they were able to get the film done.
Through it all, “Outlier” takes you on a great creepy ride that you won’t forget.
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Jessica Denton as Olivia.
