You’ll Never Find Me (2024) Review – A Masterclass In Tension With A Faltering Finale
You’ll Never Find Me: Quick Verdict
The Verdict: A claustrophobic and deeply unsettling directorial debut that cements Josiah Allen and Indianna Bell as names to watch in Australian horror. You’ll Never Find Me thrives on its minimalism, using a single location and two powerhouse performances to create a palpable sense of dread. While the film struggles to maintain its exquisite tension during a somewhat predictable and chaotic final act, the journey there is masterfully crafted. With incredible sound design and a script that drips with ambiguity, it is a 3.2 star triumph that stands as one of Shudder’s most atmospheric acquisitions in recent years. It is a sombre, well made thriller that proves you only need two actors and a dark room to create a waking nightmare.
Details: Directors: Josiah Allen, Indianna Bell | Cast: Brendan Rock, Jordan Cowan, Elena Carapetis | Runtime: 1h 36m | Release Date: 22 March 2024
Best for: Fans of slow burn psychological thrillers, lovers of “chamber piece” horror, and anyone who appreciates meticulous sound design.
Worth noting: The film was shot in a studio in Adelaide, South Australia, with the directors previously working with both lead actors on their short film The Recordist.
Where to Watch: Amazon🛒, Shudder
Rating: 3.2/5 Stars
(Stellar acting, incredible atmosphere, slightly predictable finale)
Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are reviewing Shudder Original, Australian horror movie You’ll Never Find Me from March 2024.
Before we start, if you have already checked You’ll Never Find Me out and are looking for answers. You might find them in our You’ll Never Find Me Ending Explained article. Be forewarned though, it contains spoilers so if you haven’t watched it you should read the review first.
Table of Contents
Slow moving intimate chamber piece
Following the story of a lonely elderly man named Patrick (Brendan Rock) who spends most of his time sequestered in his trailer park home. You’ll Never Find Me sees Patrick’s isolation broken by the arrival of a young woman knocking on his door in the early hours. Drenched from the rain and unaware of where she is. The young woman, played by Jordan Cowan, spends the night with Patrick. A night that reveals that both of their lives are not quite what they seem.
“Each camera shot is deliberate and every sound you hear is considered and structured to drag you into the room. Pacing is glacial but it’s hard not to feel immersed in the sheer anxiety of the situation.”
You’ll Never Find Me is an extremely slow moving horror, thriller, movie. It places a huge emphasis on tension and mood setting. There are no jump scares here or obviously horrific goings on. This is a movie that makes its bread on pure atmosphere alone. The bulk of the film consists of two characters talking with occasional minor hints towards a hidden narrative waiting to unfold.
Each camera shot is deliberate and every sound you hear is considered and structured to drag you into the room. Pacing is glacial but it’s hard not to feel immersed in the sheer anxiety of the situation. The first half is legitimately captivating for anyone who has even the slightest interest in slow build horror. Bell and Allen squeeze every last drop of tension out of every wall and every surface in that trailer.
A daring approach
You’ll Never Find Me takes the daring approach of telling its story through the medium of only two characters. Each of which existing in a singular setting. Bringing to mind the likes of The Lighthouse, Stalker, and other similarly claustrophobic, overly intimate, chamber pieces. Acting from the two leads is absolutely stellar. Brendan Rock flits effortlessly between sinister and piteous turning an otherwise bland character into someone who is both complex and deep. Jordan Cowan portrays her role in an equally capable manner hinting at a person who shares in Patrick’s complexities.
Conversations between the pair, and the awkward tension created by the character’s unease, is all the story needs to push forward. It would be remiss of me to not point out that people who dislike slow moving horror need not apply.
“Brendan Rock flits effortlessly between sinister and piteous turning an otherwise bland character into someone who is both complex and deep.”
For those of us who relish these types of stories. The first half of You’ll Never Find Me is one of the most intriguing I have seen in horror for quite some time. I was truly drawn in and thoroughly engaged.
A disappointing ending
Where the movie falls apart, however, is in its final 30 minutes. Unfortunately, my fiancée and I had realised within about 15 minutes of the movie starting what was going on. Meaning that the “big reveal” twist was really not a tremendously interesting one. It really played out in, what can only be described as, a massively predictable manner.
The final 30 minutes are a chaotic and antsy switch up. The film shifts from the slow, character based drama of the first half into an almost overly urgent, generic thriller. The considered and careful camera shots are replaced with clichéd tropes and overly vibrant colour palettes meant to discombobulate the viewer. Sound production is suddenly abrasive and the low budget nature of the film begins to show through.
“The final 30 minutes are a chaotic and antsy switch from the slow, character based, drama into an almost overly urgent, generic thriller.”
It is fairly disappointing as the first half was just so engaging. It is not so much that the ending is bad so much as it is a realisation that the story was exactly what you thought it was from the very get-go. No surprises and extremely formulaic. All capped off by one of those question mark final scenes that piss horror viewers off so much.
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
The Good
- Acting: Rock and Cowan carry the entire film with a chemistry that is as uncomfortable as it is compelling.
- Sound Design: The auditory landscape of the storm and the trailer itself acts as a third character, ratcheting up the tension constantly.
- Atmosphere: The film captures a sense of isolated, nocturnal dread that is genuinely rare in modern horror.
The Bad
- Predictability: The “twist” is telegraphed early on, which might leave seasoned horror fans feeling a little underwhelmed.
- The Third Act: The shift from quiet tension to chaotic thriller feels slightly jarring and less refined than the rest of the movie.
- Final Scene: The ambiguous ending may be a point of frustration for viewers looking for a more concrete resolution.
The Ugly: The “Hot Water” logic. A simple, domestic interaction that perfectly encapsulates the shift from hospitality to pure paranoia.
Should You Watch You’ll Never Find Me?
Yes, absolutely. It is one of the better psychological horrors of 2024. If you have the patience for a slow build and enjoy being trapped in a room with two suspicious characters, this is a must watch. Just don’t expect it to reinvent the wheel when it comes to its final revelations.
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Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight
Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.
A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.
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