The final film for Toronto After Dark 2011 was The Innkeepers. Written and directed by Ti West, I was not looking forward to this one. House of the Devil was boring and Cabin Fever 2 was gross and bloody, but didn’t exactly hit a high note with me. I don’t have a good track record with Ti West films. The Innkeepers broke that streak and I loved every minute of it.
Claire (the incredibly cute Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy) are two employees working the last few days at the Yankee Pedlar Inn. They also happen to be amateur ghost hunters and are determined to unlock the haunted past of the Inn. The question is whether or not they will be able to find any actual ghosts inhabiting the Inn. Kelly McGillis also stars as Leanne Rease-Jones, a former actress staying at the Inn for the weekend.
When they were pushing Absentia as the scariest film at TAD this year, they should have focused their attention on The Innkeepers. It builds a great amount of tension without having to resort to too many cheap jump scares and most of the fear comes from those extended moments of waiting and waiting for something to happen, even if it never actually happens. Ghost movies are the perfect place for chills. You can show very little and still have the viewer trembling in their seat. Every little sound has you twisting your head to see where it’s coming from and the slightest movement can send a scream through the audience. I may not have liked Ti West’s previous films, but I loved every moment of this one.
Luke and Claire settle in for their ghost hunting weekend at work.
I knew almost nothing about the film before going in. There wasn’t even a trailer out yet, which sounds like it was a good thing though. Now that the trailer has been released, I’m hearing that it reveals too much and takes away from the movie. What I did know about the movie was the basic premise and the fact that I find Sara Paxton to just be the cutest girl ever. The writing is sharp and the interaction between the characters is sincere and, at times, hilarious. They all fit together, complimenting each other with their traits and actions, and they’re the ones who wind up giving the most scares. I know that sounds odd but it’s something you have to see to understand.
Claire is sure she's heard something but nobody else can agree with her.
Like any great ghost film, it’s the moments of silence that really carry the film, even if the writing is well done. When an entire theatre falls silent as they strain to hear the slightest rustle, you know you’re in for something great. Hell, any movie that can make an audience, especially a TAD one, be quiet is an accomplishment. This one has instantly become one of my favorite ghost stories ever. It’s right up there with classics like The Changeling or more recent films like The Others, two of my favorites.
You may not spend the entire movie hiding behind your hands but there’s sure to be a few moments that make you jump. It’s perfectly paced, funny when it needs to be, and scary when it wants to be. It had me holding my breath as I waited for something scary to happen and it’s easily one of the best films from Ti West. Avoid the trailer and make plans to stay with The Innkeepers!
In the shadows – Will
