WITHIN

Jeri Jacquin, Movie Maven

This Saturday night on LIFETIME at 9 p.m. is a film about what evil lurks in a film from director Hanelle M. Culpepper and Bigfoot Entertainment's “Within”.

This film tells the story of Rachel Weiss (Mia Ford), a young girl who has witnessed the murder of her mother. Her father (Sam Jaeger) decides to move them to a quieter little town but not everything is as it seems.

Rachel is befriended by Michelle Lowe (Sammi Hanratty), a young girl who, in the beginning, indulges in school yard antics. Rachel also becomes friends with her teacher Abby Miller (Lori Heuring), and learns she can trust someone, as Abby knows the loss she feels.

Recently, Rachel becomes aware that she is seeing ghosts but is not sure why they are surrounding her or what they want.  She reaches out to her father but fears he will not believe her.

As her friendship with Michelle continues, the pranks become more and more deadly as Rachel pulls away. Fearing that Michelle pranks are based on an indescribable rage, Rachel turns to Abby for help.

What happens next changes everything as a town mystery is uncovered and spirits are revealed!

FINAL WORD: Ford is amazing as Rachel. There is something so endearing in the face of this actress portraying a young girl dealing with the death of her mother. Even director Hanelle Culpepper describes Ford as, “having this inner gentleness and fragileness that was this character.”

Hanratty as Michelle is plain out creepy. Anyone who has seen the 1956 black and white film THE BAD SEED will know exactly what I mean. This actress played the role straight and that’s what gets the hair rising on the back of your neck. 

Heuring is lovely as schoolteacher Abby Miller. She provides a safe environment for Ford’s character and it isn’t overplayed. Jaeger as Rachel’s Dad seems distant in the beginning but slowly comes around.

This film has already received awards from the Tabloid Witch Awards for Best Horror Feature Film as well as Best Child Actress for Mia Ford and Best Supporting Actor for Brent Sexton. It has also received awards from the Big Bear Horror Film Festival as a winner for Outstanding Feature Film and Best Actress Nominees for Mia Ford and Sammi Hanratty by the Strasbourg International Film Festival.

It’s a winner for Lifetime Television to grab the film for its premier this Saturday night at 9 p.m. Check the listings for your area.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give “Within” three tubs of popcorn out of five. This is definitely a film made for television that has a great Saturday-night-at-the-movies feel without the discomfort of excessive violence or gore. That’s a plus for good story telling.

This is more of a psychological thriller than horror which, to my way of thinking, is much more fun. Let the audience in the maze and stand back to watch the brain wheels spin. Pop the corn, grab the snuggies, turn out the lights and have a great night at home with the family.

In the end – what evil lurks within!