Written and directed by leading actress Johanna Putnam, a woman unravels in the wake of her mother’s mysterious death, following her suspicions to dangerous ends. Also starring: Brennan Brooks, Tricia Merrick, Rachel Tiemann, Liv Rooth, Ellen B. Williams and Beverly Cole Putnam.
Making a film that’s a reflective journey following the loss of a loved one, while holding onto sincerity, not getting drowned in sentimentality or becoming overtly dramatic, is no easy feat, so what Johanna Putnam has achieved with Shudderbugs is genuinely impressive. It has a true indie feel to it, particularly with that superb rural setting, embracing the everyday but having its own unique tone to add into the mix. Even from very early on Putnam manages to build an intriguing balance to the atmosphere, there are plenty of grounded notes but also an absorbing curiosity and complexity.
There’s a very strong presence to Shudderbugs, which again is something incredibly difficult to construct yet is done extremely well here. It has a constantly lingering presence for something bigger, darker or complicated, giving itself room to breathe and shaking off any predictability. Part of that is the variety of Putnam’s direction, a lot of it is casually and pensively following Samantha (Putnam) but then there are these almost ethereal or existential moments. They capture the retrospection and road to acceptance for the character, ever so slightly veering into territory walked by filmmakers like Terrence Malick and Lars von Trier, but keeping its feet firmly on the ground.
An obstacle that Johanna Putnam set herself with Shudderbugs was focusing almost entirely on her solitary character, with the exception of a few phone calls and one mysterious stranger. It can be viewed in two ways, firstly in that it puts a huge amount of weight on the shoulders of Putnam’s performance but secondly that when it’s pulled off, it’s a clever way to minimise budget while not limiting the film’s impact. It’s a choice that paid off handsomely, that strong focus works effortlessly and Putnam’s performance is captivating from start to finish.
The writing is a big part of that because dialogue can so often trip filmmakers up, particularly with a debut feature, ending up losing a natural feel but the pacing and construction here is very well done. The fact that it can easily hold itself in the silence and cement its emotions and themes in its speech brings everything together. There is the odd weakness, its conspiracy vein feels like it’s veering off a little too far, risking the overall tone but it gets back on the right track before it rocks the boat.
Shudderbugs is a remarkable debut feature from Johanna Putnam, the sincerity, authenticity and layered nature that she has brought to this film is something that countless filmmakers struggle to achieve. The story is well-written, its heart is simple with a touch of sweetness but it brings through this curious potential with notes of darkness which creates a truly original feel. Putnam’s performance on all three fronts is excellent, her directorial style is strong, both classic yet very much of the modern indie school. The dialogue is great and in front of the camera, she’s relatable, sympathetic, clever and charming.
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