Trim Season – Movie Review (4/5)

TRIM SEASON is now out on Digital, and marijuana enthusiasts who are looking for something horrific will certainly be impressed by this horror movie. Read our full Trim Season movie review here!

Director Ariel Vida previously brought us the intriguing mystery thriller Vide Noir, and her next feature is the equally enthralling Trim Season, which is now available to purchase from various online platforms.

With a script by David Blair, Sean E. DeMott, and Cullen Poythress, Trim Season is arguably one of the most memorable and haunting marijuana-related horror films you will ever see.

That really is no exaggeration, and marijuana enthusiasts who are looking for something horrific will certainly be impressed by Trim Season.

The opening sequence depicts two young women seemingly committing suicide within an idyllic farmhouse, and you certainly will not be forgetting this incredibly gruesome and unorthodox scene in a hurry.

The three screenwriters clearly outdid themselves when they scripted this scene, and it perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the film. Needless to say, this sequence will continue to haunt viewers for a long time after the end credits start to roll.

Cast and characters of Trim Season

Bethlehem Million stars as Emma, a young woman who loses her job at a restaurant after her car breaks down, causing her to arrive late for work. With her landlord then evicting her, and her prospects looking bleak, Emma reluctantly accepts a job as a marijuana trimmer on an isolated farm, where things are clearly not as they seem.

While working on the farm, Emma becomes acquainted with an assortment of other desperate misfits. These societal outcasts include Lex (Juliette Kenn De Balinthazy), who suffers from a rare medical condition which makes it impossible to feel pain.

Lex’s parents kept her isolated from the outside world because of her condition when she was a girl, which resulted in her becoming socially awkward around other people.

We were also introduced to Dusty (Bex Taylor-Klaus), who clearly wants to escape from society after suffering from abuse.

And Ally Ioannides appears as Harriet, a brazen and boisterous young woman who seems to have trouble understanding how to respect other people’s personal boundaries, which explains why she does not have many close friends.

Setting the stage

Each of the individual performers did everything they could to make their characters unique and memorable. And you will certainly have no difficulty understanding why each of these lost souls was drawn to the idea of working on a farm in the middle of nowhere.

Before long, a series of strange occurrences begin to take place on the farm, and the workers quickly come to understand that a sinister force is at play in the remote location.

With nobody to turn to for help, the farm’s employees are soon forced to resort to desperate measures in order to survive their ordeal before they are able to escape.

To make matters worse, their employers, who run the farm, seem to not only be aware of the events which are occurring but to also be actively involved in causing them.

Beautiful cinematography

One of the most notable aspects of Trim Season was the beautiful cinematography by Luka Bazeli, which astoundingly showcased the natural beauty of the rural farm and the surrounding fields and mountains.

The horrific events depicted throughout the film created a stark contrast with the natural beauty on display, and you will certainly not forget witnessing such horrendous occurrences in picturesque landscapes.

This clear juxtaposition certainly seems to have been intentional, as the filmmakers no doubt wanted to make viewers question how acts of unspeakable evil can occur in such a beautiful world.

The beauty of nature versus the horror of events

At times, Trim Season almost feels like a nature documentary, and you will nearly forget that you are actually watching a horror film at times. If the plot does not manage to captivate you, the scenery on display certainly will.

Jane Badler also needs to be praised for her performance as Mona, the farm’s eccentric owner. With her calm and motherly attitude, Mona initially comes across as a kind and pleasant individual.

But her mask gradually begins to slip over time, and her true nature gradually becomes more evident.

And Badler effortlessly conveys both Mona’s more caring public persona and the evil personality which eventually reveals itself. Although Mona initially goes to great lengths in order to hide her true self.

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Viewers will no doubt be unnerved by Badler’s performance, as the actress created a portrait of a villain who will no doubt lure viewers into a false sense of security before chilling them to the bone.

Marc Senter also appears in a memorable role as James, a recruiter who travels to populated areas in order to collect individuals to work on the marijuana farm.

With his eccentric and almost openly menacing attitude and mannerisms, you really will wonder why anyone would trust James enough to be recruited by him in the first place.

The people James seeks out are clearly desperate, as Senter’s acting skills helped to make the character seem someone who nobody in a comfortable situation would want to be associated with.

Watch Trim Season in select theaters and on digital now!

Although marijuana-related films are usually assumed to be comedies, Trim Season is a film which takes itself incredibly seriously, which works both to its advantage and its detriment.

On the one hand, the bleak tone suitably matched the story of a group of societal outcasts finding solace in each other’s company in a location far from the disparaging eyes of society.

But you will also wish that some comedic elements had also been inserted into the story, which felt far too desolate at times.

More comedic elements could certainly have been used to lighten the solemn tone, especially since the drug which the plot focuses on is known for making people laugh.

Make no mistake, while this is a film about marijuana, it certainly is not a stoner comedy.

However, the kills on display were suitably brutal and needless to say, the scissors used for trimming marijuana were also capable of cutting through human flesh just as easily.

The supernatural elements also resulted in some spectacularly memorable death sequences, with the use of voodoo causing limbs to twist in directions you would not have thought possible.

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Although the overall body count was not particularly high, each of the death sequences was still unique and memorable enough to make up for the fact that not too many people died throughout the film.

It would be safe to assume that Trim Season will probably be remembered as one of the defining horror movies which focuses on the topic of marijuana, which it addressed in a mature and meaningful way.

Although it no doubt took itself too seriously at times, it still proved to be a surprisingly nuanced and thought-provoking film about people being killed within the confines of an isolated marijuana farm.

The beautiful scenery, strong performances, and brutal kills all helped to make Trim Season into a film which you will certainly appreciate for years to come.

TRIM SEASON is out in select theaters and on VOD from June 7, 2024.

Details

Director: Ariel Vida
Writers: David Blair & Ariel Vida (script), Sean E. DeMott, Cullen Poythress, and Megan Sutherland (story) 
Cast: Jane Badler, Bex Taylor-Klaus, Bethlehem Million, Alex Essoe, Ryan Donowho, Cory Hart, Ally Ioannides, Juliette Kenn De Balinthazy