Two strangers, one home in a trailer park, and one dark and stormy night make for one exciting feature destined for my Top 10 Horror Films of 2023 list in the Australian chiller You’ll Never Find Me (2023). Codirectors Josiah Allen and Indianna Bell have crafted a tense film ready to burst at the seams with suspense and dread.
Patrick (Brendan Rock) tells whoever is knocking at his door as rain pours down heavily in no uncertain terms what they should do, which involves profanity and being unwelcome. The visitor (Jordan Cowan) is persistent, though, and Patrick reluctantly lets her in. From this simple premise, Allen and Bell — working from a screenplay written by Bell — deliver a slow burn film loaded with anxiety and mystery during which viewers know something is off but cannot figure out the motivations of each character — until a secret is revealed and a dizzying third act follows.
You’ll Never Find Me is the type of film that is difficult to synopsize because giving away anything more than what I already have regarding the plot would be a shame to first-time viewers. Allen and Bell have created two enigmatic characters, both of whom seem to be holding back on honesty with each other, and placed them in a space too small to hold the apprehension. Rock and Cowan invest the characters with riveting performances, displaying marvelous chemistry together.
Duncan Campbell’s sound design is another huge factor in what makes You’ll Never Find Me feel so heavy with menace. Creaks in Patrick’s mobile home and the threat of the storm, along with a fine score from Darren Lim, greatly add to the disquieting proceedings, which are winningly captured by cinematographer Maxx Corkindale.
You’ll Never Find Me is an unsettling slice of horror fare designed to keep viewers on edge from its opening moments, and it does so magnificently. Learn nothing more about it and put it high on your need-to-see list. I give it my highest recommendation.
You’ll Never Find Me is part of Tribeca Festival, which takes place in New York City from June 7–18, 2023.
