More often than not, psychological torment and werewolf horror go hand in hand. Becoming one of these howling, hirsute monsters of the night is no easy experience, physically or emotionally speaking. And in The Forest Hills, Scott Goldberg taps into that anguish and then some with both enthusiasm and awkwardness. The movie’s protagonist endures the […]
Mendez delivers an intense performance. There is no argument there. However, it’s not a nuanced one, and the execution won’t always yield the desired response (if the response is anything but uncomfortable laughter). Then there is the treatment of Rico in his frazzled state. On one hand, his breakdown is made certain. On the other, you’re not ever completely sure if the movie is actually making light of Rico’s ordeal or not. This is due to the direction, which can be so indelicate at times that it borders on comical.
As far as coherence goes, The Forest Hills always struggles. The narrative turmoil just becomes excruciating after a point — and that’s sooner than later — and it never lets up. This feels more like an endurance test than a movie, and not in a rewarding way either. There is a small attempt to break up the pattern and bring some semblance of cohesion, yet even those few moments are stricken with the same emotional and blaring severity as others. If every scene is operating at a 10, then surely the entire thing starts to feel monotonous.
As a result, nothing quite sticks out here, apart from the constant confusion.
The Forest Hills is on Digital/VOD now, and on physical media on October 29.
