Cinequest 2023 Review: BIBI, Forget the Inner Demons, Confront the Prowler

I have seen psychological thrillers and this is not one that I am too keen on, because this movie feels like it is the epitome of 'been there done that,' maybe a hundred times, and doesn't really do much to serve the genre that it currently resides in.

The story centers around a mother named Vivian and her daughter, living their lives in a mansion, and still enduring a traumatic loss of a loved one. However, things get murky when the two see a strange man in a priest outfit stalking the house like a prowler.

This is another movie that really tried very hard to be suspenseful and engaging but instead came off as a boring narrative slog that felt like an ordeal to sit through. It would have been a lot better and more comprehensible if the filmmakers didn't make this movie so slow in its pacing.

Let's just get the positives out of the way first. The performances of the lead actresses Elizabeth Paige and Judith Ann DiMinni are very noteworthy. Moreover, the atmosphere seems solid for that of a psychological thriller. The film can definitely take pride in those aspects.

When it comes to criticisms, however, this film lacks any sort of narrative focus as it jumps from one storyline to another without any cohesion and makes for an uneven foray into a thriller that doesn't seem too well-crafted in its execution. It doesn't make things better knowing that it had a lot of great potential and fumbled the ball so quickly.

In conclusion, this film had all the right ingredients without the right execution. It doesn't grab the audience and only seeks to confuse and fill the crowd with dismay and angst.

The film enjoyed its world premiere at Cinequest. It screens again on Tuesday, August 22. Visit the official festival site for more information.