NOBODY’S HOME is a new short film directed by Derek Stockton and written by Megan Stockton.
This thriller is about a 911 operator (Eli Taylor) alone on a shift dealing with a variety of callers while trying to stay caffeinated and awake through his shift.
When he receives a call from a woman who is being accosted by a mysterious man in the house she is babysitting at, the operator tries to get information from her, but her hysterical rambling doesn’t exactly paint a vivid picture of her assailant.
It’s a tense story told mostly from the perspective of the 911 operator in the first half of the film. Seeing his reactions helps sell the conceit that we can’t see any of the things being reported to him. It’s a bit of a cheat, but an easy way to save a few bucks on this low-budget indie, and it works.
The sound design is good, and the cinematography is dynamic, even for something as simple as a man sitting at a desk for the majority of the film.
As the story progresses, and we get more details of the situation unfolding for the woman, and the 911 operator desperately trying to help her despite being confined to his desk and essentially helpless to physically intervene.
The movie actually applies some real-life logic to problem solving rather than just relying on unreliable movie logic. Not that it matters too much in the end.
There’s an aspect of “The Telltale Heart” to this combined with WHEN A STRANGER CALLS. It’s riveting.
The title of this movie is apt if you watch it for yourself, and I’m not going to spoil it here.
NOBODY’S HOME is a deft microbudget endeavor that audiences will enjoy.
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