Directed by Nicole Pursell and Caitlin Zoz, who also stars in the film, and written by Paton Ashbrook, Audrey Elaine Hailes and Bill Keller. Two New York couples, seeking tranquillity in the remote Adirondack Mountains, come into contact with spirits imprisoned in the woods. Also starring: Chinaza Uche, Sathya Sridharan, Paton Ashbrook, Audrey Elaine Hailes, Daphne Ashbrook and Shannon Mary Keegan.

To cut right to the heart of Come Home, there’s one key issue and it’s how the filmmakers employ vagueness. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being vague to help encourage the mystery and your audience’s imagination but you then have to back that up with enough story to make the wait worth it, and unfortunately, that’s not to be found here.

Another element of that is how Nicole Pursell and Caitlin Zoz use the landscape to their advantage. While it is undeniably worth showing off all of the aesthetically pleasing qualities that the location has to offer, it feels like they’re being used to fill time. There’s a number of lingering, simple shots which look great but slow down an already slowly paced film. You can sense the intent to try and build the atmosphere and an air of intrigue, but it doesn’t work very well.

The focus of Come Home lands mostly on that attempt to create anticipation and curiosity but ultimately, we’re not getting a satisfying enough resolution to make it worth it. Especially when it feels quite disconnected from its characters, they’re almost pawns in a larger game rather than a guide or a heart of the story. There’s also the attempt to bring through a couple of complex themes, particularly race, but there isn’t enough time dedicated to them.

It’s a shame that we don’t really get to know these characters because there’s a good cast at work. Especially Chinaza Uche, it feels like he had a lot more to offer and could have become the heart and soul of Come Home, given more material to work with, although he is still the most tangible character. The more unexpected delight of the film comes from Audrey Elaine Hailes who manages to bring a wonderful sincerity, vulnerability and energy. It may be a supporting role but is also arguably the best performance that the film has to offer.

Come Home had an interesting idea but it doesn’t feel fleshed out enough for a feature, though it would have made a great short. There are some good pieces to the direction, the cast are strong, and the location is excellent but the writing lets it down. It makes a great attempt to build mystery but doesn’t provide the payoff, it needed to dive deeper and peel back some of the layers that it dips its toes into, as well as expanding its supernatural side, to make this into more satisfying viewing.

Verdict: ✯✯ | 4/10

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