BONE LAKE

(director: Mercedes Bryce Morgan; screenwriter: Joshua Friedlander; cinematographer: Nick Matthews; editor: Anjoum Agrama; music: Roque Banos, Ben Cherney; cast:  Maddie Hasson (Sage), Andre Nechita (Cin), Alex Roe (Will), Marco Pigossi (Diego), Eliane Reis (Angie), Clayton Spencer (Brett); Runtime: 94; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Jason Blumenfeld, Joshua Friedlander, Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon, Jacob Yakob; LD Entertainment; 2024)

“It delivers the necessary salacious entertainment as a throwback to the trashy 80s thrillers without becoming trashy.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Mercedes Bryce Morgan (“Fixation”/”Spoonful of Sugar”) skillfully helms this strangely believable erotic thriller that’s smartly written by Joshua Friedlander.

Unsuccessful writer Diego (Marco Pigossi), with feelings of inadequacy, quits his college teaching job to take time off to write a romantic novel. This leaves his wife Sage (Maddie Hasson) as the family breadwinner. To relieve their stress (she no longer has orgasms) they vacation in a remote luxury AirBnb on Bone Lake, before he resigns. Once there, they are distressed to learn their reservation is doubled-booked. The other young couple is Cin (Andra Nechita) and Will (Alex Roe). Rather than fight about the mix-up, both couples decide to share the weekend rental, in the spacious cabin.

Cin and Alex prove to be a duplicitous couple, who screw around playfully playing all sorts of sexually liberated games with the more inhibited couple, while making Sage and Diego uncomfortable.

It’s best not to know too much more and go with the twist that comes when secrets are revealed, as the final act becomes a bloodbath that’ll knock your socks off.

The film might not be for all tastes, but it delivers the necessary salacious entertainment as a throwback to the trashy 80s thrillers without becoming trashy.

It played at the Fantastic Fest.

REVIEWED ON 11/24/2024  GRADE: B+
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