Every old building has a story, some are more nefarious than others. None has a more dark and sinister underbelly than the titular apartment complex in Andrew C Erin‘s latest feature film Havenhurst. It’s hard to give a full review of this film without giving too much away, but we’re going to try anyway!
Havenhurst stars Julie Benz as Jackie, a recovering alcoholic who is constantly fighting her own demons. Her friend Danielle, played by Danielle Harris, mysteriously disappeared, and Jackie is dead set on finding her. This leads Jackie to Havenhurst, a massive apartment building in the heart of New York which houses recovering addicts of all kinds. The rules are simple in Havenhurst: follow the rules and don’t get evicted. After befriending a young girl who lives in the building, Jackie must use the clues Danielle left to find her friend before it’s too late.
Along with Benz and Harris, Havenhurst stars Belle Strous, Fionnula Flanagan, and Josh Stamburg
From start to finish, Havenhurst is one hell of a ride. As the story unfolds, it becomes harder to figure out exactly what is going on until it is too late. I’ll admit while I’m a huge fan of trying to figure out what is happening, Havenhurst managed to keep me guessing. Due in part to the stellar storytelling in the script penned by Erin and Daniel Farrands, and partly from the incredible performances given from the entire cast. Flanagan gives a five-star performance as the caretaker of Havenhurst, and Julie Benz carries the film with grace.
It’s not quite a haunted house film, and it’s not really a murder mystery, but rather a delightfully strange mix of the two. The actual mystery behind Havenhurst is linked to perhaps in error of the most infamous stories in American history, but to say anything else would be taking away from the suspense and thrill of the film.
Havenhurst will open its doors to the public on February 10th in select theaters and VOD.
