Keeper

I didn't like Longlegs as much as other people seemed to (I think the unbearable tension so painstakingly crafted in the first two acts is completely undone when the mystery is explained) but I was willing to give Osgood Perkins another chance because the trailer for Keeper looked intriguing.  I went to see it last night at the Broadway with my nephew and, in my opinion, it is even worse than Longlegs.  Dr. Malcolm Westridge (Rossif Sutherland) arranges for a romantic weekend with his girlfriend Liz (Tatiana Maslany) at his secluded cabin in the woods for their one year anniversary.  When they arrive, Malcolm insists that Liz eat a piece of a cake left there for them by the caretaker and, even though she doesn't like chocolate, she eventually acquiesces.  The next morning Malcolm is called away to a medical emergency and Liz begins having disturbing visions, which may or may not be real, of strange women who seem to be haunting the cabin.  It is only when Malcolm returns that Liz discovers the true horror lurking inside.  There is an opening montage and an early scene between Malcolm and Liz that set up a possible exploration of toxic relationships and men who are unwilling to commit (my nephew had an even better take about a serial killer who preys on woman) and I would have preferred that, or literally anything else, to the actual resolution to the mystery.  Even more frustrating than the underwhelming ending is the incredibly slow, and monotonous, build-up that prioritizes style over substance (I did really like the cabin, which is a character in and of itself, with architectural angles and plate glass windows that allow for some interesting shots with cool perspectives and reflections). This isn't even remotely scary and I found the creatures to be bizarre rather than creepy (my nephew and I laughed out loud several times).  Finally, I didn't especially like Maslany's performance (my nephew argues that she does the best she can with cringe-worthy dialogue) but Sutherland is one of the worst actors I have ever seen and the two of them have zero chemistry.  I definitely recommend avoiding this (even to fans of Osgood). 

Note: I think Osgood needs better material.  He excels in creating atmospheric visuals but they are undermined by weak screenplays.