The Caretaker is a creepy tale with some nice plot developments and a crazy old lady at the center of it all.
Watching the trailer is always a good indication for most movies, but The Caretaker delivers so much more than you would expect. Of course, the one thing from the trailer that you will get to enjoy, is Sondra Blake playing her heart out as the older lady with shady intentions.
To be fair, I have to admit that I first thought the supporting character of August was annoying and preppy in the worst way. He plays the boyfriend of the old lady’s grand daughter, so he’s a pretty big part of the story. As it turns out, he is actually a very interesting character and Sean Martini portrays him perfectly. So much so, that I almost felt bad for disliking him at first.
What I really took away from watching The Caretaker is the fact that a great story or great characters can carry a movie, but when you have both, the magic begins to happen. There’s no huge budget behind this movie, but you won’t think about that while watching it. Both sound and images are crisp, so your focus will remain on the story.
Also, they manage to give you some real insight to several of the characters, which is no small feat for a movie with a runtime of just 80 minutes. Then again, this is exactly what’s possible, when you take away all the stereotypical scenes. Even the obligatory horror movie sex scene won’t play out as you expect!
Sondra Blake is a crazy scene stealer in The Caretaker
I’ll gladly rave about the good story, interesting characters and perfect pace of The Caretaker, but really, you should watch this movie for Sondra Blake. There’s a scene where she’s just dancing around in some sort of trance, and I could’ve watched that for the longest time. She is so damn intense and honest, which will freak you out! She’s the biggest sweetheart towards her grand daughter, Mallorie, while almost hissing at the boyfriend. And she’s not some creeper pretending to like him, when Mallorie is there. Oh no, she’s pretty brutal and direct all the time.
In case the name Sondra Blake sounds familiar, but you can’t quite place it, I can tell you she was in the 1976 movie Helter Skelter (about Charles Manson). She’s also guest starred in lots of TV shows, and yes, she was previously married to Robert Blake.
A new horror duo?
Jeff Prugh directed the movie, which is his debut directing a feature film alone. He co-directed Leave of Absence back in 2013, and did four short films prior to that one. Based on The Caretaker, I certainly hope he’ll do more in this genre, cause it really works very well with him at the helm. The script was by Jeremy Robinson, who also wrote one of the short films Jeff Prugh has done. In fact, those are the two scripts Jeremy Robinson has enjoyed seeing produced. Maybe this is a new horror duo to follow? I’ll definitely be ready to watch whatever either of them come out with next… and yes, my expectations are set accordingly.
The Caretaker is out on VOD starting September 30, 2016.
Details
Director: Jeff Prugh
Writer: Jeremy Robinson
Cast: Meegan Warner, Sondra Blake, Sean Martini, Chanel Celaya and Barry Jenner
Plot
A young woman returns home to care for her gravely ill grandmother, only to begin sleepwalking and envisioning spirits.
- Boy Kills World – Movie Review (4/5) - April 26, 2024
- The Asunta Case – Netflix Series Review - April 26, 2024
- Goodbye Earth – Netflix Series Review - April 26, 2024
