Parents' Guide to Double Blind

Tense from the get-go, this debut feature from director Ian Hunt-Duffy and writer Darach McGarrigle combines claustrophobic paranoia with body horror in an effective way. Double Blind has, at its core, a simple premise: fall asleep and you die. Between the brain-altering pills the human lab rats have taken and their sheer exhaustion, it feels inevitable they'll begin to question what's real or imagined, who's trustworthy or traitorous. Solid performances all round keep those questions hanging in the audience's mind, too, with twists and turns making sure everyone both sides of the screen stays on their feet. DoP Narayan Van Maele creates a warren-like underground lair, illuminated by ominous lighting and shadowy corners that tempt the characters' exhausted brains to run wild with visions and traumatic flashbacks. There's a level of social commentary as well, about "big pharma" not being held to account and certain people being seen as more expendable than others. Characters are chosen because of economic hardship, social isolation, self-destructive behavior -- they're not only more willing to take a risk, but maybe nobody will miss them if they disappear. This is a well-crafted, tight 90 minutes that will keep viewers hooked and shows great potential from the up-and-coming filmmakers.