The Dark Place is currently being advertised as a “gay thriller.” In a refreshing spin, it should really be a “thriller with gay leads.” The sexual orientation of the main characters has nothing to do with the film’s mystery, but it has a lot to do with the dynamic between characters. Thankfully, one step closer to normalizing gay characters and themes in storytelling.
There’s good and bad in The Dark Place. Let’s start with the bad (and end good). First, the film’s mystery doesn’t really start until halfway through the film. The first half is spent establishing characters, particularly Keegan’s, as this damaged a*****e and Wil as his boyfriend/rescuer. Keegan doesn’t like his new stepfamily, and everything plays out like a relationship drama until a fateful event. It lumbers along until the film amps up once the thriller aspect of the film kicks in. The problem is you might give up on the film as a dramatic piece and miss the thriller at the end.
“Character-driven thrillers are hard to pull off and this is where The Dark Place shines.”
The acting and dialogue at times can be problematic. The acting feels scripted, meaning actors are reciting lines versus dialogue coming off as natural. It can get annoying at times. Admittedly there is a noir-vibe to the text, which should be seen as a stylistic choice for writer/director Wheeler, but it just feels forced at times. Wil describes his relationship with Keegan as “his adventure.” Celeste tells Keegan that she loves him, but sometimes “that’s not enough.” The script liberally scatters these insightful lines at the expense of more normal dialogue.
I mentioned before that the film starts to pick-up when the mystery begins. What I love is that the thriller elements are based primarily on the relationships between the characters as opposed to some sinister plan playing out. Character-driven thrillers are hard to pull off and this is where The Dark Place shines. It all starts when Keegan and Wil get into a fight and break up. The interplay between Keegan and his stepfamily Adrian and Jake takes a few turns that play with your mind. Then the story loops back to events that took place at the beginning of the film. Not a perfect film, but Jody Wheeler’s story more than makes up for the film’s flaws.
"…...thriller with gay leads."
