PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Part of being human is our relationships with each other. Part of any relationship is trust. What happens when we can’t trust the ones we love? What happens when the person we love isn’t who they present themselves as? These are just some of the questions Ciara finds herself asking in Following.
Synopsis
Ciara, a college student, meets Denise, a wealthy and enigmatic woman. The two are immediately drawn to each other. As their relationship intensifies, Denise’s sudden shift in behavior leads Ciara down a dangerous path of secrets.
Following was written and directed by Matthew Lee Anderson. The film stars Emma Justine, Jordan Hundley, Em German, Haritha Pisupati, Kami Miles, Charlie Mccommack, and Chanda Rawlings.
Following is one of those movies where you already know that the relationship is going to go bad before you even hit play, yet despite knowing that, I was kinda rooting for Ciara and Denise for a good chunk of the movies. Part of this is due to compelling writing and the rest is due to the performances. Emma Justine and Jordan Hundley have genuine chemistry together as Ciara and Denise. They have this vibe together whenever they are on screen and it really carries the film.
I really liked Ciara. She’s a woman who falls too fast who has been hurt deeply in her past relationships yet deeply wants to be loved. I myself have been there and I was able to relate to her. Emma Justine does a great job with the character and makes you genuinely care about what happens to her. Jordan Hundley is absolutely magnetic as Denise. She just has a way of drawing you in and keeping your attention.
Denise reminds me so much of people I’ve dated in the past, just way more extreme. Despite Denise being a pretty awful person at times, I was able to understand her, she’s just afraid of being left behind. Em German is also a lot of fun as Lisbeth, Ciara’s cousin and roommate.
I loved the story here. Everything starts out simple and sweet enough, then you start to see the hints of red flags behind the cracks in the facade. I thought I had a general idea of where Following was going but I was wrong. Nothing quite played out the way I expected and every time I thought I knew where it was going, something new would be revealed and change everything. Matthew Lee Anderson does a good job of keeping you guessing as to how things are going to play out. The final act is just so good and oh so very satisfying.
Final Thoughts
Following is a film about how love can go wrong with fear and obsession. The film is grounded by excellent performances from Emma Justine and Jordan Hundley. Highly recommended.
