or What Would You Do In A Situation Like This?
….. by TeeJay
The Plot
From the official movie website:
In a quiet neighborhood where nothing ever seems to happen, one family’s fragile sense of calm is suddenly disrupted when their daughter stumbles upon a stranger hiding in their shed. Unsure whether he’s dangerous or desperate, the parents are forced to make a split-second choice that will test everything they believe about safety, morality, and trust.
What follows is a darkly funny and quietly unnerving chain of events that exposes the cracks beneath their perfect routine. As neighbors grow suspicious and secrets surface, the line between right and wrong blurs into something far messier — and far more human.
Hiding Places unfolds as a slow-burn thriller with the wit and awkward honesty of a dramedy. It explores what people protect when fear moves in, what they hide to appear “normal”, and how every choice leaves a trace that can’t be covered up for long.
The Character
Keith, the husband and father of the family that the movie revolves around. He’s a stand-up comedian, and his mind seems to constantly be on writing the next comedy skit, practising it on family and friends. Almost obsessively so, as if he uses it to cover some kind of insecurity about his actual personality. And it’s not helping his marriage.
And while he does love his wife and his daughter, we learn that he hasn’t exactly been faithful, which his wife still holds against him and adds friction in their relationship. And when this young stranger turns up to seek shelter in their backyard shed, it sparks quite a few interesting conversations about family, marriage, love and commitment.
The Likes
I can unequivocally say that I liked this one a lot. The script and acting is all around solid and realistic. I also liked that they managed to strike a good balance between engaging drama and light-hearted comedy. Chris was fabulous and believable as a father figure, and it’s always enjoyable when we see him stretch his comedic legs, plus he has a ton of screen time in this sweet little indie. In my opinion definitely a recommendation for any Chris fan.
The Dislikes
Not much that I didn’t like about this one. Perhaps it sometimes skirts the boundaries of being a bit too silly or over-the-top in a way that my suspension of disbelief was challenged.