Cult

This is particularly true in the case of Rachel (Elizabeth Sankey), an escapee from rehab who gets picked up by F.A.T.E. during one of their recruitment trips. She embraces a go-with-the-flow mentality and decides to join the cult, despite thinking their beliefs are total nonsense. Although Sankey delivers a standout performance as Rachel, the character’s service to the plot comes up a bit short. It’s as if Rachel’s introduction sets up a variety of potentially dramatic moments that Cult never actually gets around to executing. And it is within these meandering middle sections that the thinness of the plot, as well as its reliance on mockumentary tropes, reveal themselves most plainly.

Thankfully, the creative stylistic choices help offset these otherwise standard mockumentary elements and work to keep us engaged during the lulls. The film is intended to resemble footage that was first captured in 1999 and is therefore delivered in a 4:3 aspect ratio with a distinct and grainy VHS quality; visually, it’s truly unique, boasting refreshing camerawork and editing.

“…succeeds in being both hysterical and unexpectedly heartfelt…”

Generally, I found Cult to be at its best when it was at its most strange: the abrupt imagery of English landscapes used like title cards, the hilariously random and recurring song covers by Manuas’ band, and the outrageously ’90s videotapes that we watch alongside the characters, which act as narrative footnotes. Here, Ibbetson is clearly drawing from his personal sensibilities and brand of humor, providing us a glimpse of what could one day develop to be an incredibly singular cinematic vision.

Cult starts strong and ends even stronger, allowing us to forget its wandering and rather drama-less middle section. While it is packed with several laugh-out-loud moments, the gags are not what sets it apart from other low-budget mockumentaries. It’s the seamless jump the film makes from being hilarious to heart-warming that accomplishes that fat. By the time the film reaches its final act, its characters had grown on me in a way that felt genuine and organic. I found myself actually concerned about the fate of F.A.T.E. and was winded by the sudden and unexpectedly moving finale.