Originally published and edit from my blogger February 22, 2016
Mix a babysitter-urban legend nightmare and an episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and you got this made-for tv thriller.
Based upon a young-adult lit novel written by novelist Richard Peck, the film revolves around the life of Gail Osborne (Kathleen Beller) as she slowly begins to realize that she has a stalker, who is steadily upping the ante. Her world seems idyllic as she navigates through romantic relationships and parental dysfunction.
What I Liked: At the time of this thriller, there were all kinds of dark, slasher whodunits. What I liked about this golden age of horror was the slow reveal that lulled you into a sense of complacency. The attention paid to Gail’s dating life, interactions, and even the life of her parents all serve to remind you that this is a TEEN AGER and provide you with a sense of the mundane. And let’s not ignore that Gail’s life seems truly mundane, if not for her stalker. We the viewers know someone is out there scaring her. Our protagonist is brave enough to face this without including her parents, and based upon the opening scene, you know something bad is gonna happen. It was all just a matter of when. I was so caught up in the mystery that by the time our stalker is revealed, I was kicking myself. We are meant to kick ourselves for not knowing this. The analogy to victim blaming (punishing myself for not knowing) isn’t lost on me.
What I didn’t Like: After the climactic reveal, this plays out almost like a police procedural. Gail struggles with a reputation as a rape survivor, and her rapist is still roaming about taunting her. While this makes for good melodrama, its not horror. Or maybe, it’s so close to a reality for some survivors that it truly is the most horrifying thing of all.
All in all, I enjoyed “Are you in the house alone?”. I rate it 4/5 stars, because it not only held my attention, but it had me on the edge of my seat, without even using jump scares. It’s available currently on Amazon Prime and Sling TV.
And if you’re looking for a thriller to read this season, check out my novella, A Still Small Voice, available on Amazon Kindle.
Stay Ghoulish.