Returning home one night, Sera is surprised to find someone in her living room. The stranger, Andrew, says he?s a real state agent just taking refuge from the storm outside, but is he telling the…
For Sale By Owner
Running time: 81 mins
World PremiereReturning home one night, Sera is surprised to find someone in her living room. The stranger, Andrew, says he?s a real state agent just taking refuge from the storm outside, but is he telling the truth? Even more importantly, will Sera be able to distinguish between truth and lies during the long, unpredictable evening she has in store ahead of her?
That ?razor-thin line between sanity and insanity? is what For Sale By Owner is all about, and just when you think you know on which side of it you?re standing, this splendidly crafted, exceedingly tense thriller surprises you. As the night grinds on and the characters find out more about each other, including Andrew?s alcoholic violence and Sera?s past instability, it becomes increasingly blurry who?s the predator and who?s the prey.
Making canny use of its single location (a house in the quiet town of Emeryville) and nuanced performances by the actors, writer-director Pritesh Chheda creates a spare, unnerving sense of dread emanating from life?s everyday facets. Building steadily toward its nerve-wracking climax, For Sale By Owner reveals a creepiness worthy of Roman Polanski, guaranteed to crawl under your skin.
Fernando F. Croce
Preceded by: The Waiting Time; dir. Sasha Waters; 17min.; An experimental documentary about the exploration of desire and the experience of motherhood.
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