Exit O

There is something special about making a weekend holiday, with your partner. Just to get away from all the stress, check into a hotel to relax and enjoy your holiday. I will never forget my first holiday weekend with my wife in Prague, Czech Republic. We stayed at a hostel, where everyone showered together ( being naked together in Prague was no problem ), and we had a neighbor who smoke pot all day infront of his computer, who never seemed to leave his room. At a local pub we were offered to have sex with their two female waitresses , so basically just an ordinary weekend in Prague. We also saw a Nun driving like a maniac up in the hills, and i am pretty sure she did not know what speed limit means. We have had several other weekends in Europe since then, and i have to say they were not as strange as Prague was. When ever i think about films that takes places in hotels, or motels, i could easily think of Alfred Hitchcock´s classic film Psycho. But to be honest, when i think of films that takes place in a hotel, i usually think of the 1989 horror film Puppet Master. For those of you who don´t know the Puppet Master franchise, these films tells the story of pupeteer André Toulon, who created very unique living puppets. Each puppet have their own unique way of killing victims. The first film takes place in Bodega Bay Inn, where a group of physics meet to investigate the hiding place of André Toulon, 50 years after André shot himself in the head. And this is where the physics team begin to experience strange events, with puppets killing anyone in their way. Puppet Master is a true 80´s classic with some fun moments, even if i like Puppet Master 2 more, for a number of reasons. I recently came across a film called Exit O on DVD from Breaking Glass Pictures, that seemed to be inspired by Alfred Hitchcock films. Is this independent thriller film better than i expected, or should we have left Exit O buried out in the garden ?

The couple Billy Curtis ( Gabe Fazio ) and Lisa ( Augie Duke ) travel to spend a weekend together in a very old hotel, to repair their relationship. But everything is about to change when Billy finds a VHS tape under the bed, as he watches the tape and see a very brutal murder, that took place in this room. He contacts Detective Mueller ( Federico Castelluccio ) to tell him about the VHS tape. But the tape have suddenly vanished, and Billy begin to believe that someone in this hotel knows more than it seems.

To be honest, i had no high expectations on Exit O. The movie poster actually looks pretty good, but you know how it is sometimes, a movie poster does not guarantee a good film. In the case of Exit O, i have to admit that the poster does fit with the movie, while remaining some secret details . The thing that makes Exit O a different kind of film experience than most independent thriller films, is that this film is more focused on the characters, than setting up the usual story. In some ways i would rather call this film a psychological trip of secrets, than an ordinary thriller release. The characters in this film are actually more developed than the ordinary DVD release, so i am quite surprised by this. One of the acting performances that i feel especially stands out from the rest of the cast, is legendary actor Peter Greene ( who many remember from 90´s classics such as Pulp Fiction and The Mask ) as the character The Writer. As soon as we get to see him introduce himself, we know that this is a unique and fascinating character. Another character i enjoy is actress Augie Duke ( that most of you will recognize from the sci fi horror film Spring ) who plays Lisa. There is something charming about seeing Augie do her character so natural. I have to mention actor Gabe Fazio ( who you probably have seen in The Place Beyond The Pines ) as Billy, a character he handles without any problems. Exit O is a pleasent surprise for me, because i am not used to see some good acting in a film on a budget like this film has. And that is for a me a good sign, that if you have actors who go into their character with passion, it does not matter what the budget of the film is. This is in some ways a slow film, so if you have patience and can accept the atmosphere, then i have a feeling you might see what Exit O has to offer to the audience. I have seen a few films from Breaking Glass Pictures over the years, and Exit O is one of their better films for sure. There are some details that could have been improved, but overall i am impressed. Director E.B. Hughes have directed several films, but this is the first film i have seen that he have directed. I have to say that i like his vision with this story, that he relies more on the characters, than using the same thriller clichés that we are used to see. Pick up Exit O on DVD and show your support to the cast and director of this film. They deserve support after giving us this interesting story.

Rating: DDD