Florida man faces heartbreak horror
The offbeat B-movie “After Midnight” isn’t the first horror film to use a ravenous supernatural creature as a metaphor for the hero’s personal problems. But it’s one of the few that even tries to be terrifying. Ditch the beastie in the woods and this picture could be mistaken for any earnest indie drama about a self-centered schmo realizing he’s taking his girlfriend for granted.
That’s not a knock. Co-directors Christian Stella and Jeremy Gardner — the latter also wrote the screenplay and plays the doltish boyfriend, Hank — give this scenario dimension and personality. Even without a monster at Hank’s door each night, this film emphasizes the overpowering fears this guy faces.
Give credit to Brea Grant’s performance as Abby, Hank’s longtime romantic partner, a smalltown bartender who in flashbacks is seen bringing joy and beauty to his life — even as she admits that she pines for stability and misses the culture of nearby Miami.
Abby disappears with minimal explanation early in “After Midnight,” and Hank becomes isolated and paranoid, and anxious about the snarling demon he claims is hunting him. Gardner and Stella alternate monster attacks and f lashbacks to happier times, before focusing more on the latter.
Genre fans may be disappointed by this bait-andswitch, but for the most part Hank’s heartbreak resonates. By the end, he and the audience both may wonder whether the bogeyman and love are equally mythical.
“After Midnight.” Not rated. Running time: 1 hour, 23 minutes. Playing: Arena Cinelounge, Hollywood; also on VOD.