Life of Belle (2023) Review
Life of Belle (2023) Review
No leads have surfaced since eight-year-old Annabelle Starnes went missing. In hopes of gathering new information to her whereabouts, the police department decide to release the footage recovered from the Starnes’s residence. This is that footage.
When writer and director Shawn Robertson first approached me to review LIFE OF BELLE, his first feature-length film as director, he apologised to me about the budget being just $100, now having seen the film I can honestly say that Mr Robertson has nothing to apologise for at all. In fact – and given that I absolutely LOATHE most found-footage horror flicks – he’s put together one of the more grounded and believable entries in the genre and for that he, and everyone else involved, should give themselves all pats on the back.
Everything behind the camera from start to finish was completed by Shawn and his family make up the main cast on screen and it’s with Shawn’s family that his movie scores points and puts itself head-and-shoulders above most found-footage flicks. Everyone in front of the camera is believable especially the two children – Annabelle and her younger brother Link (both first time actors) – who are both onscreen naturals and, unlike most child actors in films, normally irritate the f*** out of me, but not this time!
At just seventy-three minutes runtime LIFE OF BELLE doesn’t outstay its welcome and, although it occasionally reminds one of PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, this found-footage flick is a far cry from the standard template one gets that’s normally coupled with bad acting and structure. This feels organic and better put together than most of its ilk, the pacing is sound, and it opts for subtle when letting things unfold rather than bludgeon the viewer with needless aggravating drama.
