CELLAR DOOR
Director Vaughn Stein brings us CELLAR DOOR. Following a loss, couple John and Sera seek a new beginning. A mysterious man offers to gift them his elegant home. But, it comes with one unusual caveat. They must never open the cellar door.
Laurence Fishburne is Emmett Claymore. His iconic presence and voice offer equal parts comfort and sinister edge. Scott Speedman is John. This anxiety-soaked performance keeps you on the edge of your seat, reeling you into the slow-creeping plot. Jordana Brewster is Sera. She offers enthusiasm and hope through her grief, which feels wholeheartedly inspiring. Writers allow her to pull off an illusion that makes the film something special. Speedman and Brewtser’s chemistry is solid.
The set is marvelous. Wood-paneled rooms mixed with modern updates, a sprawling terrace, and an exterior straight out of Great Expectations, the audience falls in love with the house at first glance.
Screenwriters Sam Scott and Lori Evans Taylor toy with our emotions. The mystery simmers, and what we don’t see creates a boundless tension. The plot has sprinkles of What Lies Beneath and Gone Girl, focusing on themes of temptation, betrayals, secrets, and boundaries. CELLAR DOOR delivers a classic, tense build-up of scenarios, boasting a delicious final twist. It’s the best of the Faustian subgenre.
Cellar Door Trailer:
In Select Theaters and On Digital November 1st
Directed by: Vaughn Stein
Written by: Sam Scott & Lori Evans Taylor
Starring: Jordana Brewster, Scott Speedman, Laurence Fishburne
Produced by: Tom Butterfield, John Papsidera, Craig Perry, Sheila Hanahan
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Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Runtime: 97 Mins
Looking for a fresh start after a miscarriage, a couple (Brewster and Speedman) find themselves being gifted the house of their dreams from a wealthy homeowner (Fishburne) with one caveat – they can never open the cellar door. Whether they can live without knowing triggers shocking consequences.
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