Filmmaker Kim Noonan and writers Brian S. Tedeschi and Vicki Vass craft a psychological supernatural thriller that lures you in with familiar horror beats before pulling the rug out from under you. Are You There? isn’t just about eerie séances and ghostly whispers—it’s a story of adolescent innocence, tragedy, and the fragility of the mind.
Laura Sollet stars as Rosa, a young woman grieving the loss of her abuela while retreating further into her dark, gothic world, which she shares through her streaming platform. Alongside her best friend and roommate Natalie (Eva Meyerson), Rosa dives deeper into the unknown, using their channel to communicate with the dead. From the beginning, it’s clear that something is off—not just with Rosa’s circumstances but with the eerie disconnect between her and the world around her.
At first, Are You There? feels like a typical séance-driven horror film, but it subtly transforms into something far more sinister and deeply personal. Noonan and his team create an overwhelming sense of isolation, even in the busiest of settings, making Rosa’s grief feel all-encompassing. Sollet’s performance is key to this, as she maintains a delicate balance between vulnerability and detachment, keeping the audience locked into her unraveling reality. The way she navigates the film’s unexpected tonal shifts is particularly impressive, allowing the story’s deeper themes to emerge naturally.
Halfway through, I had my reservations. It initially leans into the supernatural horror tropes we’ve seen before, but as the film progresses, its true weight settles in. Are You There? challenges the viewer to question memories, nightmares, and the mind’s ability to protect itself from painful truths. What starts as a fever dream of grief and ghostly visions turns into something far more unsettling and deeply psychological.
By the time the credits rolled, my perspective on the film had completely shifted—and that’s not easy to do. Are You There? may not be a traditional horror film, but it’s a thought-provoking, unexpected thriller that lingers long after it ends.
2.5/5
Are You There?
Directed by Kim Noonan
Written by Brian Tedeschi and Vicki Vass
Starring Laura Sollet, Eva Meyerson, Madison Geiger, Mbeng Klovis and Chase Bridges
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