‘You’ll Never Find Me’ Review – A Refreshing Australian Fright

For a lot of people, there’s nothing scarier than being stuck somewhere with no way to leave. It’s one of the bread-and-butter conceits of the horror genre and has brought forth a myriad of classics over the years. Shudder’s latest original film from first-time directors Indianna Bell and Josiah Allen, You’ll Never Find Me, uses this familiar framework to deliver a solid story with some welcome diversions from the typical path these films tend to follow. Brendan Rock and Jordan Cowan star as Patrick, a man living alone in his trailer at the back of a trailer park, and a woman who comes knocking on his door in the middle of a storm looking for help.

The unique machination of this narrative is a lack of external forces bringing the terror. Of course, they begin to hear things outside the walls of the trailer as the storm worsens, but the primary tension comes inside between the two characters. This film is a true two-hander, with both actors sharing the load. From the jump, neither is portrayed as the clear-cut person to pull for. They trade verbal blows and jockey for the upper hand as they attempt to figure each other out as the evening’s storm persists. The advantage changes hands almost every minute as more of their stories are revealed.

Sound plays a massive role throughout every second of You’ll Never Find Me, not only through the terrifying pandemonium outside but also inside the trailer. With such a small space there are seldom moments when Patrick and the visitor are apart, but the few we get are some of the most intense segments of the film. Muffled voices through the bathroom door and creaky footsteps that seem to linger a bit too long will keep you on the edge of your seat to see what happens next. The use of sound here only adds to the intensity, and, thankfully, it doesn’t produce any cheap scares like many are tempted to include in a story like this. The real horror comes from slow building sound design and how each character interprets the actions of the other.

A powerful thread the film follows is its portrayal of the young woman and the dread she experiences spending so much time with a strange man, trapped in a way that isn’t quite against her will. She can leave whenever she wants, yet she feels stuck by both the realities of the monsoon outside and Patrick’s insistence on keeping her in his home to help her out. She sees his every move as a potential threat. One wrong move, one slip of the tongue, and this innocent-seeming man could turn on her. This is an effective display of how women view most situations involving strangers. Indeed, it’s impossible to feel safe when you assume the worst of every action someone else makes. While she’s right to be skeptical, Patrick also has good reason to be suspicious of her intentions. Pieces of her story simply don’t add up.

While the pressure rises effectively in the early stages, the movie does lose some steam as it makes its way towards the finish line. The final 10 minutes or so make up for this sputter, with an ending that will leave audiences in awe. There’s a lot to like about this debut feature from Indianna Bell and Josiah Allen, grounded in a simple story we’ve seen a hundred times over executed in a new, innovative way. The duo have certainly made a statement with You’ll Never Find Me, and are likely to have plenty of opportunities to watch for in the coming years.

You’ll Never Find Me will be available to stream on Shudder on March 22, 2024. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1EHT838rrg]