Laced – Movie Review (3/5)

LACED is a new thriller with a strong Hitchcock vibe and a simple story. It all takes place in one location with a small cast and has a runtime of 95 minutes. Read our full Laced movie review here!

LACED is a thriller that should please many fans of crime mysteries. There’s a strong Hitchcockian style to the way the story evolves. And yes, it does evolve quite fast, so you won’t be waiting too long for things to escalate.

The runtime is just over an hour and a half, the cast is very small, and the story plays out in a cabin. In other words, there’s a theatrical play style to it as well. Despite room for improvement (with sound, in particular), it works really well.

Continue reading our Laced movie review below. Find it on VOD from January 12, 2023.

A tale as old as time

In Laced, the title could easily refer to the act of poisoning someone. And it absolutely does. However, it could also be more symbolic as in a relationship that has been laced with fear or hate. This would also be correct.

We’re in a remote cabin where a young couple find themselves pretty much trapped. Sure, they could leave, but with a record-breaking blizzard outside, it doesn’t make much sense that they should.

The two people in the cabin are a young woman who has been plotting to poison her abusive husband. The movie opens with her preparing a meal and once they sit down to eat, the poison is quick to work.

It isn’t, however, as efficient as desired. While he does get very sick, the husband does not die. Not as simply and quickly as expected, anyway.

Murder or self-defense?

The young wife, Molly, is poisoning her husband, Charlie, to end their toxic relationship once and for all. This might sound too “easy”, but once we get into what has happened in their relationship, it has been hell.

Things go from bad to worse as Molly’s partner-in-crime shows up and Charlie still isn’t dead. Just dying. Something must be done and Charlie is definitely doomed.

There are hints of his abuse already before the couple sit down for the deadly meal, but with what we hear later, there’s more of an explanation. This is also what Molly’s brother is told when he shows up unexpectedly – and very inconveniently.

I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, so that’s all I’ll say. Also, you should avoid watching the trailer. Both because it isn’t very good and due to its rather spoiler-filled nature.

Watch Laced on VOD and Digital Platforms

Laced was written & directed by Kyle Butenhoff (Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story) who also stars in the movie as the abusive husband who consumed a meal laced with poison.

This is his feature film debut as both writer and director and a good one at that, so I’m definitely ready for more. Also, I should mention that the cast of this low-budget indie movie is really great. It stars Dana Mackin, Hermione Lynch, and Zack Tinker alongside Butenhoff.

LACED is a modern thriller/drama in the vein of Hitchcockian classics like Dial M for Murder and Rear Window. Set in a single location, the piece explores the claustrophobic nature of young love strung with toxicity and lies and the cyclical nature of violence.

Again, do not watch the trailer if you want to avoid all spoilers. On the other hand, I found the trailer to be so bad (the editing and sound was terrible) that I was very pleasantly surprised with the actual movie. In fact, I’ll gladly recommend that you watch it!

LACED is coming to VOD and Digital Platforms on January 12, 2024.

Details

Director: Kyle Butenhoff
Writer: Kyle Butenhoff
Cast: Dana Mackin, Hermione Lynch, Zach Tinker, Kyle Butenhoff, Mel Fair, Joe Chambrello