Listen Carefully – Movie Review (2/5)

LISTEN CAREFULLY is a new psychological thriller with a very trippy vibe. It’s fascinating but also goes on a little too long. A shame really because with a little more restraint, it would’ve hit much harder. Read our full Listen Carefully movie review here!

LISTEN CAREFULLY is a Psychological Thriller out on VOD now. I wish we could push the rating up a little higher as it’s a fairly solid 2½ out of 5, but it just needs that extra tightening. There was a definite lull for me, where it felt like a few cuts would’ve made a huge difference.

Still, I can’t say I didn’t appreciate the style and vibe. Also, the acting with writer-director Ryan Barton-Grimley front and center worked wonderfully. We see a man falling apart and will learn that it’s a self-inflicted (albeit indirectly) pain he’s forced through.

Continue reading our Listen Carefully movie review below. Find it on Digital VOD from December 16, 2024.

A never-ending nightmare

In Listen Carefully, the assistant bank manager Andy McNeary (Ryan Barton-Grimley) is caught in a never-ending nightmare. He’s at home alone with his infant daughter for the first time, and everything goes wrong.

Beginning with the fact that his baby daughter goes missing. Seemingly kidnapped through the open window in the nursery.

Now, he’s forced to follow specific instructions from the baby monitor. An unknown and mysterious voice is at the other end demanding a ransom. Andy needs to get the money and fast.

This is also when we learn that much of the trouble he lands in, is a product of his own doing.

A trippy vibe

Before we get to this nightmare of his daughter missing, we experience how Andy also suffers from other intense nightmares. All of this seems to stem from his own actions while working as an assistant bank manager.

He isn’t a bad guy. On the other hand, he isn’t without issues.

As the night progresses, he gets increasingly desperate and the voice on the baby monitor continues to push him further and further. It’s relentless pressure from this voice, often mixed with the cries of his baby daughter in the background.

Needless to say, the pressure gets to Andy and he starts getting everything mixed up. A very trippy experience for both Andy and anyone watching Listen Carefully. I can easily live with this for a long time, but it does run a little too long for my liking.

Watch Listen Carefully on VOD now!

Listen Carefully is the latest feature from filmmaker Ryan Barton-Grimley. For this new psychological horror movie, Ryan Barton-Grimley is the writer, director, producer, and star. Along with a few other odd jobs on the movie. Such is the life of an indie filmmaker.

Its North American premiere came at Dances With Films, and it also screened at Macabro Mexico City, Fangofest Amposta, and Scarefest Weekend. Ryan Barton-Grimley was nominated for Best Actor at the latter one.

I too would nominate him for actor rather than filmmaker, which feels wrong somehow, but here we are. We’re not far off with this one, and I’ll definitely be ready to check out his next movie. As should you – along with this one, even if our rating isn’t impressive.

WATCH THIS IF YOU LIKED

A movie like Shudder’s Glorious which succeded better, in my opinion >

He is obviously a gifted filmmaker, who can easily act in his own movies as well. Still, I can’t help but wish that someone could come on board to help tighten it all up. This isn’t a long movie, but there are still scenes and moments that run much longer than necessary.

Listen Carefully had its world premiere at Fantaspoa, which is an International Fantastic Film Festival in Porto Alegre. This is a film festival that tends to have a very impressive selection, which makes it a good home for this movie. In other words, do give it a shot!

Listen Carefully debuts worldwide on Digital VOD on December 16, 2024.

Details

Director: Ryan Barton-Grimley
Writer: Ryan Barton-Grimley
Stars: Ryan Barton-Grimley, Ari Schneider, Simone Barton-Grimley, Richard Gayler, Patrick Pankhurst