A House on the Bayou (2021)★★★★☆

I went into this not knowing anything about it except the short blurb, and not really knowing what to expect. And I liked it!

It’s short and tight, so there’s no time for anything to drag on (well, maybe the last few minutes or so). I thought all the performances were great. I think I’ve only really seen Angela Sarafyan in the Into the Dark episode “A Nasty Piece of Work”…where she was also great.

I know Lia McHugh primarily from Eternals (which apparently my husband and I are the only people who loved?), and from The Lodge, which I’ll be watching late this year. And she was also great.

The story isn’t super original, but it’s well told and the performances really pull everything together. There are a few twists and turns that feel earned even if (or even though) they’re not completely surprising. It does get a bit heavy-handed with its message towards the end, though.

Overall this was an enjoyable watch, not quite what I was expecting (even if I didn’t know what to expect), and one I’d recommend to a good number of horror fans.