Ronnie Chase (Connor Jessup) is going to prom with his girlfriend Melissa Moody (Margaret Qualley). He has loving parents (Amy Ryan, Greg Kinnear) and adoring brother Philip (Nick Robinson). He dies. Five years later, a very pregnant Melissa shows up claiming Philip to be the father. She has been staying with kindly couple Bill (Brian Cox) and Gail (Blythe Danner) after getting kick out of her home by her parents.
First, the reveal is unearned. It needs foreshadowing. Philip in crutches stumbling in the woods should not be the foreshadowing. It should be something about the actual twist. It would also help to explain Melissa's relationship with Bill and Gail. I know there are issues with story construction but for most of the movie, I kept wondering who they are to Melissa. The movie should probably start with Melissa's first meeting with them.
Second, the last act is basically a series of dumb actions from the characters. He's hopping around and she's in medical distress. There is no way that he would go back looking for people. It makes no sense. The sequencing needs to change. When he goes into the house to get her, that's when he can be taken. When the parents arrive, they are perfectly able to make a call but minutes later, there is no signal. WTF and people never call the cops first. She should call the cops. When she can't find the signal, go to the car and drive until you get a signal. Nobody ever calls the cops. Even after hearing a gun shot, they're still yelling out. They are so dumb.
First, the reveal is unearned. It needs foreshadowing. Philip in crutches stumbling in the woods should not be the foreshadowing. It should be something about the actual twist. It would also help to explain Melissa's relationship with Bill and Gail. I know there are issues with story construction but for most of the movie, I kept wondering who they are to Melissa. The movie should probably start with Melissa's first meeting with them.
Second, the last act is basically a series of dumb actions from the characters. He's hopping around and she's in medical distress. There is no way that he would go back looking for people. It makes no sense. The sequencing needs to change. When he goes into the house to get her, that's when he can be taken. When the parents arrive, they are perfectly able to make a call but minutes later, there is no signal. WTF and people never call the cops first. She should call the cops. When she can't find the signal, go to the car and drive until you get a signal. Nobody ever calls the cops. Even after hearing a gun shot, they're still yelling out. They are so dumb.