By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
The new, low-budget quarantine movie “Safer at Home” from director/screenwriter b>Will Wernick (“No Escape”) is a tightly wrapped little thriller. The cast and crew make the best of a bad situation with this ambitious effort.
I liked all the characters in the movie too, although I can’t imagine having any of them as friends.
In “Safer at Home,” it’s nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic and everyone is still in lockdown. Thank God this is only a movie and hopefully we won’t be in this situation since vaccinations are becoming readily available. Then again, there are those COVID variants out there.
Anyway, a group of friends are going stir crazy and would love to spend time hanging out with each other especially in Las Vegas or really anywhere other than staring at their four walls.
Evan (Dan J. Johnson, TV’s “P-Valley”) is having a birthday. Choosing to say at home for your birthday is one thing, being required to stay at home for your birthday is another especially if you live in Los Angeles.
Realizing that Evan is not too happy, his girlfriend Jen (Jocelyn, Hudon, TV’s “9-1-1”) plans a Zoom party and invites their New York friends, Ollie (Michael Kupisk, “American Fright Fest”) and his new girlfriend Mia (Emma Lahana, TV’s “Cloak & Dagger”), Ben (Adwin Brown, TV’s “You”) and his buddy Liam (Daniel Robaire, TV’s “Tabitha TV”). There’s also Harper (Alisa Allapach, TV’s “Quarantine”) in Austin, Texas who is always the life of the party.
Things start off fine with them joking and laughing and catching up with each other. They start drinking heavily and follow that up with some Molly/ Ecstasy.
They probably would have been better off had they opted to play Charades, but instead choose “Never Have I Ever.” That’s when some cold, hard feelings come to light and arguing ensues and then a sudden tragic turn of events. Now under normal circumstances this situation should have resulted in someone calling the police.
But the situation goes from bad to worse leaving the rest of the partygoers horrified.
“Safer at Home” is the perfect movie to watch when you’re stuck at home. Granted, it does border on the ridiculous as it rolls along, but it keeps a firm grip on you for the duration of its crazy ride.
"Safer at Home" is available In select theaters, VOD and Digital.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays at 6:20 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Watch This Trailer For
"SAFER AT HOME"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics' Association (BFCA), The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC) and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
