Strange occurrences centered around a seven-year-old girl has her mom reaching out to a couple skeptical researchers, hoping to uncover some kind of an answer. Mom hasn’t gone undisturbed by the oddness in her suburban home and has even caught some spooky phenomenon on her phone. The two scientists look for a logical explanation as they go through the home and collect as much evidence as they can. There’s a large creepy doll the family found in the garage when they moved in that the daughter has named Patrick, alarms the mother has installed on all the doors because of their penchant for opening unprovoked, scratching in the walls and other slight spookiness that works to establish a solid vibe. Ricky and Ross leave equipment with Jamy to set up and constantly record, no matter how tedious it may seem, coming back to continue tracking the activity and assisting however they can. Jamy’s continuing lack of answers, even after bringing in help, are frustrating but phantom taps aren’t exactly solid proof for the two men. Still, they think they may be onto something substantial. They call in a plumber (which Ross thinks is pointless) to confirm it’s not just pipes and the tradesman flees from the home, freaked out by something. The activity begins to unsettle Ricky and Ross as well but intrigue has a way of silencing fear, especially in spooky movies. A deliberately slow pace works well thanks to the clinical atmosphere the movie is attempting and the solid performances of the small cast keeps it all believable while the activity maintains an even pace. The completely believable buildup reminded me of The Last Broadcast’s similarly grounded first and second act which were completely betrayed by the climax that pissed on all the stellar foundation and ultimately ruined the experience. Luckily, this one doesn’t betray its presentation which may anger some due to an ending that doesn’t offer up much action or resolution but this idiot felt that C.A. Smith crafted an impressively unsettling experience by never pushing things towards the ridiculous.
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