By RACHEL REEVES
Every so often, a film comes along that quietly splashes cool refreshing water on the weathered face of genre cinema. Whether it’s an original storyline, a subversion of tired tropes, an inventive approach to filmmaking—or all of the above—it is often this special breed of films that push the art forward and expand the boundaries of what is considered possible. Recently making its World Premiere at this year’s SXSW Film Festival, director Pete Ohs JETHICA is one of these films. Minimal in all the right ways, JETHICA proves that sometimes, less is in fact more.
Clocking in at only 70 minutes, JETHICA is an existential exploration of what it means to be alive and a complex look at the human condition. Or, more simply put, it’s a ghost story. Co-written by Ohs and his small cast of actors, JETHICA recounts the odd story of Elena (Callie Hernandez) and her old high school friend Jessica (Ashley Denise Robinson). After a chance run-in at a gas station, Elena invites Jessica over for a catch-up cup of coffee at her grandma’s old place in the middle of nowhere New Mexico.
Back at the house, Jessica reveals that she has been dealing with a relentlessly obsessed stalker named Kevin (Will Madden). Generously offering Jessica a safe place to stay for a spell, Elena hopes this safe hideout will help Jessica finally be rid of Kevin once and for all. However, both women have secrets that quickly put them both in a tricky predicament. The plot surrounding the pair quickly begins to thicken as Kevin mysteriously shows up outside. Now, this wouldn’t be such a confounding occurrence (he is a stalker after all) except for the fact that Jessica left out one important fact regarding Kevin—she killed him.
Despite the genre being saturated with terrifyingly determined baddies, it is the way in which the rest of JETHICA plays out that makes it such a gem. Utilizing a partial script and improvised dialogue, the relationships and verbal exchanges between characters retain a wonderfully authentic feel and cadence. Executed with an intentionally deadpan delivery, there’s a darkly comedic undercurrent that allows the absurdity of the film’s narrative to hit with remarkable accuracy. Clearly and effectively conveying the rules that govern the situation from the start, the lack of mystery only further strengthens the film’s ability to engage. Capped off with an atmospheric and poignant score from composer John Bowers, JETHICA never tries to be something it isn’t and becomes all the more enjoyable for it.
Mumblegore to the core, there is a lovely space contained within JETHICA which allows the story to simply breathe and resonate. Shot on location in New Mexico, the sweeping landscapes and harsh beauty of the area causes the location to become a character all its own. Captured with terrifying realism, Ohs (who also edited the film live on Twitch) allows the desert to speak for itself, injecting the story with a harrowing, somber air of loneliness and isolation. Though the film utilizes minimal practical and special effects, their absence is never a shortcoming or hindrance. In fact, JETHICA’s representation of stalking via Kevin is one of the more accurately unnerving portrayals and becomes only further strengthened by this particularly stripped-down approach.
Challenging both genre and filmmaking expectations, JETHICA requires the viewer to leave all preconceived ideas of what it should be at the door. If one is able to do that, the film becomes a truly satisfying experience. Terrifyingly original and contemplatively comedic in tone, the film ultimately settles in as a bittersweet story of loneliness and the powerful grip it can hold in both life and death. And just like windburned lips after a day spent out in the cold, it leaves an indelible mark long after the credits have rolled. Bold in its simplicity and idiosyncratic with its execution, JETHICA is truly a spooky campfire tale come to life.
