Long Lost (4/5) – Movie Review

Long Lost is a new indie thriller laced with mystery and the most intense creepiness. This is an absolutely brilliant debut from writer-director Erik Bloomquist. You do not want to miss it. Find out why in this review! 

Long Lost is a new mystery thriller. In other words: The less you know, the better. Watching this story unfold is all about being in the shoes of the lead character, who is as much in the dark as the audience is. 

Don’t worry, by the time Long Lost is over, all will be revealed and your questions will be answered.

While Long Lost is primarily a mystery thriller drama hybrid, it feels very much like a horror movie at several turns.

The brilliance of a tiny main cast

The main cast of Long Lost consists of just three actors. More people do come along in some capacity but for most of the movie, it’s all about these three characters.

There’s “our guy” who is in the same situation as the audience, which means he has no idea what the hell is going on. His name is Seth and he is portrayed just perfect by Adam Weppler.

I absolutely love that Seth is a character that reacts in a natural and believable way. When people treat you strangely or uncomfortably, you try to remove yourself from the situation. And probably speak up as well. Seth (Adam Weppler) does both. And in a way that keeps the story moving forward consistently.

The people delivering horror in Long Lost

The person creating a very uncomfortable and strange setting is Seth’s long lost brother, Richard. Again, I loved the fact that Richard – however creepy, and he is creepy – felt like a “real” person. He acts in weird ways that aren’t all that uncommon from (particularly white) people of wealth. 

Nicholas Tucci plays Richard and I’ve been a fan of him since You’re Next. In Long Lost, he is giving an iconic horror performance that feels like he’s channeling Jack Nicholson in The Shining at times. And yet not. Watch the movie to understand this cryptic description.

Finally, we have Richard’s girlfriend Abby. She’s played by Catherine Corcoran and delivers both [sexual] tension and [mental] relief for Seth. Abby is clearly more than a pretty face and Catherine Corcoran (Terrifier) plays the part perfectly on edge. This keeps you guessing about her motives.

The Ending of Long Lost 

Admittedly, I thought I had guessed the plot as we got near the end of its runtime. It’s at just around an hour and a half, which is the perfect sweet spot for many movies. Anyway, I was completely wrong and hadn’t guessed a damn thing.

This made the ending of Long Lost an absolute joy and made a really good movie even better!

If we gave half stars, Long Lost would definitely be on 4½ stars. Erik Bloomquist’s debut feature film is an impressive and fascinating watch that will keep you absolutely captivated from the very beginning until the end.

The story for this movie came from both Erik Bloomquist, Carson Bloomquist, and the starring actor Adam Weppler.

Whatever Erik Bloomquist comes out with next as writer and director, I will definitely be eager to watch. My expectations will definitely be great but I actually think he can handle this. And if he keeps using the actors from this movie, then we’re already halfway there!

Long Lost will play in a 30-city limited theatrical release across the US from March 29, 2019. If you can catch one of these screenings, go for it.

Long Lost also comes out as an Amazon-exclusive digital release on April 10, 2019. Yes, on National Siblings Day!

Details

Director: Erik Bloomquist
Writers: Erik Bloomquist, Carson Bloomquist, Adam Weppler
Cast: Adam Weppler, Nicholas Tucci, Catherine Corcoran, Fran Kranz

Plot

Long Lost stars Adam Weppler as Seth, a young man invited to spend a long weekend at a Connecticut mansion with his long lost millionaire half-brother Richard (Nicholas Tucci) who, along with his enigmatic live-in girlfriend Abby (Catherine Corcoran), lead Seth down a psychological rabbit hole wherein luxury and temptation are intermingled with treachery and taboo.