My Review Of "Failing Grace"

Concept Media and Director Ryan Stacy's new thriller "Failing Grace" is gearing up for a festival run in the Fall with an eventual release to follow sometime later. The story is a contemporary nightmare that explores a deadly game of cat-and-mouse between an obsessed psychopath and his prey. It stars Sarah Curtis, Caroline Vineyard, Josh Miller, Marly Osborne, Stacy Freeders, Cara Knoll, and Austin Tarantino.

Five years ago, sisters Maggie (Curtis) and Grace Novak (Vineyard) suffered a terrible tragedy when their parents were murdered. by Maggie's ex-lover Jack Elligott (Miller). And for five years the truth behind Jack's disappearance and the events of that fateful night have remained hidden from Grace for one, simple reason: he did it all to get to Grace. The events are barely behind them when, unbeknownst to Maggie, Jack has returned. And with the always irritating Leona De Martino (Osborne) in tow. The girls leave town for a weekend retreat with Maggie's closest friend Joplin O'Toole (Freeders), where new love begins to bloom for the Novaks, and where Jack slowly makes his presence known.

The story, like most Concept Media movies, is an indepth, complexity of both character study and thriller. It keeps with both Ryan Stacy's and Concept Media's refusal to be intimidated by either budget or multilayered storytelling."Failing Grace" shows the adventurous and creativity the company always aspires to realize. It is dark, modern and stylized.

There are elements of Nick Miller (Criminally Insane) and characterizationsee that hint to influences from both Miller's exploitational nature and at times John Waters' sarcastic jabso at social obsurtities. Some of the dialog is a bit laborsome. Certain scenes flow unnaturally causing some scenes,  and subsequently the characters, seem more disembodied line-readers, detached from the on screen situations surrounding them. Other characters standout as fully realized and relatable personas pulling you right into the intensity and melodrama. Plus at times the scenes that work, work well enough to create the energy and continuity, making the movie entertaining. It drives the story's plot forward.

Special Effects and the death scenes are minimal and mostly happen off screen, forcing ones' imagination to create the horror. It is one of the better aspects of "Failing Grace " , giving the film a psychological edge over visceral gore. It works because the antagonist gives a great maniacal performance that amps up the thriller aspects and is convincing and entertaining enough to frame the dark nature of Ryan Stacy's story. (3/5)