Alone

About a woman on a solo road trip who finds herself pursued by an increasingly sinister stalker, Alone is a thriller that knows exactly what it is and goes for it with gusto. It wastes absolutely no time putting its gears into motion, and then pretty much doesn’t let up until the end credits roll. It’s skillfully directed by John Hyams, who brings the film a really satisfying sense of progression — it’s paced perfectly, moving from the low-key tension of the first half to the more overt thrills of the second half without ever missing a beat. It’s anchored by a great central performance from Jules Willcox; she hits the road as the movie begins, so we only get snippets of her backstory. This could have made her character seem thin under a lesser actress, but it’s never an issue here. Marc Menchaca is just as good as her pursuer; it’s a very mustache-twirling role (the character literally has a mustache, though as far as I can tell, he never twirls it), and he plays it with aplomb.

***1/2 out of ****