“Road to the Well” is an indie thriller written and directed by Jon Cvack, a film that starts off in corporate drone land and ends up laced with mystery, murder, and intrigue. While meandering at times, the film has a strong story, and is acted and written well. With noir filmmaking, “Road to the Well” succeeds at being an effective thriller, and throws clever nods to Alfred Hitchcock and Edgar Allen Poe in the process. Not a perfect film; but one can imagine this being what “I Know What You Did Last Summer” had the potential to be, had it been about about the process of covering up a deed rather than a standard slasher.
“Road to the Well” follows the exploits of Frank (Laurence Fuller), who becomes unwittingly involved in a crime after a girl he meets at a bar is murdered. By this point, we’ve already seen what kind of guy Frank is. He’s meek, unassertive, and gets walked on by his boss, Tom (Tim Martin Gleason) who is having an affair with his girlfriend behind his back. Dealing with the girl’s murder – and afraid he will be implicated – he turns to his friend Jack (Micah Parker), a drifter who is in town passing through, for help.
The film has a lot going for it, namely its production value and its acting, which are both tight and effective. Cvack seems to know what he’s doing, and sets up unique circumstances to place his heroes in. The film takes place mostly at night, casting shadows and darkness over the proceedings, which makes them seem that much more eerie. There’s also a suspenseful score present – consisting mostly of violins and low, droning bass, that add to the film, making its more ominous moments stick.
If there’s one criticism here, at times the soundtrack seems to overtake the dialogue, which makes it hard to decipher some of the speech. But these occurrences are few and far between, and it’s forgivable.
The screenplay presented by Cvack is well done, and invites the viewer to immerse fully in the experience. The best aspect of this film is certainly the dialogue, which seems natural and real, and never once are we under the impression we are watching a low budget film, or watching actors trying to act.
This is helped greatly by the performances put forth by both Fuller and Parker, who become their characters completely during the film’s run. Frank is unsure of himself and shy, and therefore his character is engulfed by the severity of the circumstance he finds himself in. Fuller does a good job, being likable throughout. In the role of Jack, Parker absolutely owns his performance, presenting a dynamic and successful leading man. Watching Parker, one is completely drawn in. He seems to channel actor Josh Brolin in his vocal acting, and blends the part of the drifter with that of a primal force you can’t fully understand. He becomes one of the best parts of the film, and easily earns the spot of ‘Best Actor’ in any indie I’ve seen this year.
The cinematography is done by Tim Davis, and is thoughtful and precise. We’re confronted with closeups of objects such as shoes and the actor’s faces. And, in the best shot of the movie, Davis aims a camera down a forlorn hallway as a figure hides in the shadows. He’s effective in bringing the film’s characters to life, and in painting the proceedings in the air of mystery and macabre that the film needs.
The story itself evolves along the way, and we like the road Cvack takes us down. While the first half is slow, and meanders a bit, the second half is wrought with the right stuff, and rightly sends shivers up our spines. Events such as Jack and Frank discussing where to hide the body are sandwiched in-between moments of normality and dialogue. There are two scenes in this film that seal it as a serious endeavor: one, as Frank and Jack discuss Frank’s relationship with one of their friends, Chris (Barak Hardley). And the second, involving a retired military man (Marshall R Teague) the two meet, is among the most nerve-wracking and suspense-inducing scenes I’ve seen in some time. Teague’s keystone scene absolutely channels the tension and eeriness of 2016’s “10 Cloverfield Lane” and grabs our attention fully.
“Road to the Well” is a good movie. It meanders some, but ends nicely, even if its last minute twist isn’t as clear as it could have been. It features good performances, an encapsulating mood, and a story that grips you more as the movie progresses. All-in-all a pleasing effort and a solid film by Cvack and company.
– by Mark Ziobro
