Review: ‘Safer at Home’
There has been no shortage of pandemic-set movies these days, all of which have varied in both quality and the sensitivity in which they handled their perhaps too timely setting. For every Host, an excellent found footage-esque horror movie that treated the pandemic as a backdrop rather than a plot point, there has been a Songbird, an exploitative, misguided attempt to cash in on the fears and anxiety surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Thankfully, Safer at Home, the latest film from director Will Wernick, falls into the former category rather than the latter, with Wernick and co-writer Lia Bozonelis sidestepping the mistakes made by Songbird production team Adam Mason and Simon Boyes to instead give us an intriguing, genuinely engrossing micro-thriller that will keep audiences firmly on the edge of their seats without resorting to any exploitative measures or jarring creative decisions.
Set in 2022, where the COVID-19 pandemic has created mass chaos in Los Angeles and turned the city into a police state, Safer at Home centers on a group of friends attending an online party via Zoom for a night of video games, drinking, and drugs. After taking an ecstasy pill, life at home becomes more terrifying than it is outside for the group as they find themselves desperately fighting for their lives after a tragic accident.
Much like Host, one of the very first pandemic-themed films to emerge in the throes of the many lockdowns implemented throughout the world, a huge part of Safer at Home’s appeal is the chemistry between its incredibly talented cast, which consists of Jocelyn Hudon, Emma Lahana, Alisa Allapach, Adwin Brown, Dan J. Johnson, Michael Kupisk and Daniel Robaire. The first half-hour of the film consists of the seven of them catching up and reminiscing on old memories and experiences with a number of games and lively discussions. It is a testament to the genuinely engaging dynamic between them that those scenes never become grating or boring as they may have very well been in the hands of a less talented and committed cast.
Hudon, in particular, is phenomenal as the bright and bubbly Jen, who is hiding a big secret from her significant other Evan (Johnson), while Allapach manages to bring layers and nuance to an otherwise underwritten character. Brown also turns in an impressive performance as the nervous and cautious Ben, but the film’s real MVP is Johnson, who delivers an impeccable performance as the troubled Evan.
While Safer at Home does border on tedious and repetitive by the time it reaches its final act, with Wernick and Bozonelis stretching their script’s plot way beyond its simple logline, they still manage to craft an intense narrative that will keep viewers engaged throughout the film’s entire runtime. Safer at Home also touches on some very timely and relevant themes outside of its pandemic setting, raising interesting and important questions that will linger in audiences’ minds far after the credits roll. All in all, while it isn’t exactly a perfect film, Safer at Home is still a largely impressive and highly engaging micro-thriller with a series of fantastic performances that elevate it beyond its simple plotline.
Rating: 3.5/5
Safer at Home is now out on VOD via Vertical Entertainment.