Alfred Hitchcock has always been dubbed the iconic all-American thriller filmmaker and producer. While he may not have been born in the States, that never kept young American directors from experimenting with his style.
Enter on the scene a triple threat writer, producer and director Allen Wolf. Wolf took a “Rear Window” approach to his work with the independent film “In my Sleep.” A thriller, this film is rated PG-13 and has played in several cities.
In the movie, Marcus (Philip Winchester), suffers from parasomnia and one day wakes up with blood on his hands and no memory. Marcus struggles to figure out what happened — he might have killed his best friend’s wife.
I really got into the film. Many times you think a movie will be “low budget” and poorly executed when it doesn’t come out of Hollywood, but I was happy with how well the actors’ performances and overall film quality turned out. I enjoyed the roller coaster ride and Wolf did an exceptional job of focusing the story going without introducing too much too fast. The suspense kept at a good pace and allows viewers to feel as if they are losing their minds and regaining it along with Marcus.
I was disappointed in the way Wolf sometimes dragged out the story. The plot encouraged me to finish the movie, but the constant guesswork became slightly boring. I sometimes felt like saying “tell me already.” SPOILER ALERT: I found the monster thing to be pretty weird. Marcus’ subconscious really needed a better costume; the one he had seemed odd and out of place.
As I watched the film, I kept thinking of “American Psycho,” just without the narcissistic sex scenes and brutal killings. The film’s ability to keep viewers guessing and wondering, “did Marcus do it?” keeps viewers enticed and invigorated. If you want something to do this weekend, check out this film and see if you can figure out who dunnit.
