The Poughkeepsie Tapes

A spoiler light review of The Poughkeepsie Tapes should begin with tone, because John Erick Dowdle understands exactly how this horror film ought to feel. The Poughkeepsie Tapes gains early credibility from Stacy Chbosky, whose presence is balanced by the different rhythm of Ben Messmer. The foundation of The Poughkeepsie Tapes can be stated simply: In an abandoned house in Poughkeepsie, New York murder investigators uncover hundreds of tapes showing decades of a serial killer's work. Within its 1h 21m running time, The Poughkeepsie Tapes reveals both the benefits and the limits of that disciplined approach.

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At story level, The Poughkeepsie Tapes turns Poughkeepsie and New York into the source of its main tension. The role played by Stacy Chbosky becomes the viewer's route through The Poughkeepsie Tapes, especially when the central character begins to alter the situation. Drew Dowdle gives The Poughkeepsie Tapes momentum by allowing choices to create consequences instead of treating each scene as isolated information. Even when an important relationship pushes the plot toward familiar ground, The Poughkeepsie Tapes remains attentive to what that pressure means for its characters.

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Beneath its plot, The Poughkeepsie Tapes is most interested in fear, isolation and the moment familiar spaces stop feeling safe. That concern becomes visible through Stacy Chbosky, whose choices allow The Poughkeepsie Tapes to explore an idea without stopping for a speech. Poughkeepsie gives the themes of The Poughkeepsie Tapes a concrete dramatic form rather than leaving them abstract. The emotional value of The Poughkeepsie Tapes grows whenever John Erick Dowdle trusts the audience to connect behaviour with the larger question.

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The Poughkeepsie Tapes benefits from John Erick Dowdle being alive in individual scenes and uncertain between them about what each sequence needs to accomplish. Instead of making every beat equally loud, John Erick Dowdle lets The Poughkeepsie Tapes create contrast between pressure and release. The cast and craft keep the experience watchable throughout The Poughkeepsie Tapes, with the strongest decisions feeling connected to character rather than display. It is still fair to say that The Poughkeepsie Tapes suffers because too many scenes explain effects the actors have already suggested, but the problem remains contained.

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The craft of The Poughkeepsie Tapes is defined by patiently built dread, supported by patiently built dread rather than overwhelmed by decoration. Brothers Dowdle Productions gives The Poughkeepsie Tapes a production framework in which carefully rationed sound can remain connected to story. Made from a United States production context, The Poughkeepsie Tapes uses setting and design to clarify mood before dialogue has to explain it. The technical finish of The Poughkeepsie Tapes works because image, sound and editing appear to be serving the same immediate purpose.

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Stacy Chbosky gives The Poughkeepsie Tapes its most dependable performance, finding a clear emotional intention beneath the plot. Opposite Stacy Chbosky, Ben Messmer brings The Poughkeepsie Tapes a contrasting pace that prevents the central relationship from feeling flat. Samantha Robson widens the ensemble of The Poughkeepsie Tapes through reactions that suggest a life beyond the immediate scene. John Erick Dowdle serves the cast of The Poughkeepsie Tapes best when a look or pause is allowed to finish before the story moves on.

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For horror viewers who prefer atmosphere to constant shocks, The Poughkeepsie Tapes is ultimately an uneven film with enough personality to remain interesting. Its most persuasive combination in The Poughkeepsie Tapes brings Stacy Chbosky together with carefully rationed sound under the direction of John Erick Dowdle. The fact that too many scenes explain effects the actors have already suggested prevents The Poughkeepsie Tapes from being entirely seamless. Even with that reservation, The Poughkeepsie Tapes has a clear point of view and enough genuine feeling to justify the journey.