Cameron Macgowan wrote and directed Red Letter Day, which is a rambunctious horror-comedy. A recently divorced mother, played by Dawn Van de Schoot, adjusts to a new life in a quiet suburban community. Her two teens, played by Hailey Foss and Kaeleb Zain Gartner, receive mysterious red letters instructing them each to kill or get killed.
The bloodshed begins, and the family finds themselves in a chase against time to defend the people they love from the ones they assumed they knew.
The movie world premiered at the renowned Cinequest Film Festival. It played at other horror fests, including Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, L.A.’s Screamfest, FrightFest London, and both Sydney Underground and Calgary Underground Film Festivals.
The movie is Macgown’s feature directorial debut. His previous work won awards and received critical acclaim worldwide for international film fests, including Fantasia, SXSW, and the Toronto International Film Festival.
The neighborhood nightmare flows well, and the acting is believable, with Schoot carrying the overall story well. The movie is low-budget, but it’s a funny, independent horror movie. I recommend it to diehard horror fans because they have a soft spot in their hearts for films like The Red Letter. Honestly, the special effects were impressive and convincing while entertaining the 75-minute runtime.
Some supporting performances were limited, but I liked the family dynamic, with Schoot strengthening the story. The story held itself with standard horror effects with vats of blood and gore — not a terrible option. The third act is intense, with a clever ending that pays off. I compare it to Stranger Things and Get Out.
The rest of the cast includes Tiffany Helm, Roger LeBlanc, and Peter Strand Rumpel.
The Blu-ray is available, including features such as an audio commentary with the executive producer, director, and cinematographer. The exclusive featurettes Suburban Skirmish—The Making of Red Letter Day and Her Eyes—My Dance through the movies with Actor Tiffany Helm.