The Overlook: They Look Like People

(imdb.com)

Anyone who's ever been in any type of school knows what it's like to do the majority of the work on a project. So considering the immense amount of work and time required to create an entire film, this undertaking would seem unimaginable for most. For Perry Blackshear though, writing, directing and producing a particularly good thriller, seems to come easy. The Look Like People is undoubtedly deserving of audiences time, given the amount of effort that must have gone into its creation.

Following close friends who reunite in New York City; The Look Like People is a psychological mind bender. MacLeod Andrews (Tuesday Morning) stars as the downtrodden and possibly disturbed Wyatt and Evan Dumouchel (40 Days and Nights) plays as Wyatt's friend, Christian. Throughout the film, Wyatt is troubled by his belief that humans are being replaced by other worldly creatures setting the stage of the apocalypse. The movie mostly plays out in Christian’s apartment where they try to resolve the potential doom of humanity and figure out what is real and what is not.

They Look Like People has numerous twists and turns and despite being somewhat guessable, maintains a sense of suspension. When the two men are trapped in Christian's apartment and Wyatt begins to break, you feel for both characters whose lives are being turned upside down by some dark force, whether it is real or supernatural. Even when Wyatt makes actions that would deem him villainous, it's hard to root for his downfall, after all he's recently broken up with a girlfriend and is clearly going through some crisis. This is where They Look Like People works best- discovering the humanity underneath the chaos.

If every movie has its flaws then the flaws of They Look Like People are hidden well. Sure, with an obviously smaller budget, some choices were limited, but even somewhat lesser-known actors and a few muddled moments can't sink this ship. It's the type of movie that while sometimes confusing, makes sure to wrap back for its lost viewers by the end. They Look Like People is a knowingly weird film, but it's also unsettling and will easily draw in art-house and horror fans alike.