Lyla (2023) Review
To escape the distractions surrounding him, writer Mark (Clark Moore – Monsters, Yellowstone) takes his wife, Lyla (Jolene Anderson – AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D., V/H/S/BEYOND), and son on a secluded getaway.
However, Mark is unaware that Lyla is harbouring a dark secret that she will do just about anything to protect. As tensions build between the pair, Mark’s increasing suspicions around his wife threaten not just the family but his sanity too and he soon begins to spiral out of control.
This could have had a straightforward narrative but unfortunately is anything but that. It plays out as an unnecessarily confused psychological thriller mirroring the bare bones outline of Stephen King’s THE SHINING – a mother, son and writer father stuck out in the middle of nowhere, writer’s block, paranoid, murder.
Writer, director and cinematographer Gordon Cowie is to be applauded for the vibrant and vivid landscape shots he’s caught on camera. He has a real eye for capturing nature in all its beauty, truly gobsmacking stuff! Aside from the camerawork, a decently ominous score and reasonable performances LYLA is messy. Are we inside someone’s dream? Is any of this happening for real? As my confusion mounted, my interest waned, which is unfortunate as I wanted to get a solid handle on what was happening but found myself failing throughout.
On digital 21 April from Miracle Media