The Beach House

Directed by Jeffrey A. Brown, The Beach House follows a couple (Liana Liberato’s Emily and Noah Le Gros’ Randall) as their romantic getaway eventually takes a terrifying and downright apocalyptic turn. It’s a compelling premise that’s employed to initially compelling yet ultimately disappointing effect by Brown, as the filmmaker, working from his own screenplay, delivers an often unreasonably deliberate drama that remains unable to wholeheartedly (or partially) capture the viewer’s interest and attention – with the arms-length atmosphere compounded by several less-than-enthralling performances and an ongoing emphasis on decidedly lackluster instances of dialogue. And while the picture benefits from its undercurrent of mystery, as well as a second half rife with creepy, sinister happenings, The Beach House does, for the most part, feel like a top-notch short film that’s been awkwardly stretched out to feature length – which is a shame, ultimately, given the potential afforded by the agreeably downbeat setup.

*1/2 out of ****