Home » Scare Me is a Shudder Shut-in Dramedy-Thriller with Dark Turns [Review]

Scare Me is a Shudder Shut-in Dramedy-Thriller with Dark Turns [Review]

Aya Cash and Josh Ruben from Scare Me

If you’re a fan of Aya Cash’s turn as a dark character on You’re The Worst, that’s a big plus in Scare Me. She stars as Fanny, a successful horror novelist holed up with a frustrated wannabe screenwriter, Fred, the film’s writer-director Josh Ruben. Both have come to rented mountain cabins to write. Hers is bigger. When a power outage derails solitary plans, they converge to tell each other scary stories by a flickering fireplace, eventually getting a fun assist from Chris Redd as a pizza delivery guy.

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It’s an interesting set-up for a single-location horror dramedy-thriller, stage play  or a creepy Halloween improv show. The performances, quick cuts, music cues and sound effects enhance the telling.

As act one unfolds, Fred’s first effort is energetic with a nice creepy touch or two, even if his werewolf ideas are a little clichéd. Fanny’s acerbic questioning adds spice. When it’s Fanny’s turn, she proves her nuanced creative talents as she acts out a darker psychological tale with creepy accents, grim deeds and a building dread. Soon they’re telling and acting out shared tales with occasional story conferences to hone details.

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The more elaborate pieces bolster the energy and counter the claustrophobic setting. The film is surprisingly engaging, and there’s a dark character story underpinning it all with a few creepy surprises.

Reuben’s performance and his versatility match Cash’s, and both get great mileage out of expressions and close-ups. Oh, Cash sings too. Briefly.

If there’s a fault it’s that Cash’s character could have used just a tad more dimension for the flick to realize its full rewards. There are hints, but an additional layered brush stroke here or there would have done it. Still, it’s a worthy October diversion that’ll pass a shut-in evening.

Wicked Rating: 7/10
Director: Josh Ruben
Writer: Josh Ruben
Starring: Aya Cash, Josh Ruben Chris Redd, Rebecca Drysdale
Release: October 1, 2020 (Shudder)
Language: English
Runtime: 103 minutes

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Written by Sidney Williams
Sidney Williams is an author and comics writer. He's a former full-time journalist and has conducted hundreds of celebrity interviews.
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