Significant Other

Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, Significant Other follows a couple (Maika Monroe’s Ruth and Jake Lacy’s Harry) as they head into the woods on a hiking trip and subsequently discover that they’re not alone out there. Filmmakers Berk and Olsen, working from their own screenplay, deliver a progressively engrossing endeavor that does, at the outset, suffer from a somewhat sluggish execution, as the movie, which kicks off with a terrific opening shot, boasts a first act devoted to Ruth and Harry’s rather hit-and-miss exploits – with the picture’s watchable vibe perpetuated by an undercurrent of ominous elements and the superb, ingratiating efforts of Monroe and Lacy. It’s only as Significant Other progresses into its consistently surprising second half that it becomes the enthralling endeavor Berk and Olsen have intended, with the picture’s sharp turnaround triggered by a mid-movie twist that essentially (and effectively) pulls the rug out from under the viewer (ie one initially can’t help but wonder where the story could possibly go beyond that point). The recurring emphasis on less-than-predictable plot developments, bolstered by the presence of several standout sequences, ensures that Significant Other builds towards a tremendously satisfying closing stretch, which ultimately cements the film’s place as a stirring piece of work that would, one imagine, far even better on repeat viewings.

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