Leofwine_draca
STRAY is an indie drama that drags and drags and drags right from the outset. It's listed as horror but feels more like a dark psychological thriller, or at least it would if they'd remembered to add any thrills in. The female protagonist is a runaway with a murderous past who turns up in a small town to begin a new life. Will anyone uncover her dark secret? You won't really care in this slow-moving and uneventful movie which has a glossy, TV movie look to it.
David
If you are looking for a blood-and-gore horror film you will probably be disappointed with STRAY but if you enjoy tense, suspenseful psychological thrillers with plenty of twists and engaging characters you will be hooked. This film held my attention from the first scene right to the very end and, to be honest, I have found it hard to stop thinking about it. The story follows Jennifer, a young woman with a devastating secret who wrongly believes that she can escape her past. She returns to the small town where she was born hoping to get a job, find a man and live a normal life but what follows is an intriguing series of twists, turns and revelations that gradually reveal the truth about her. Although this is a low budget movie the acting and cinematography are solid and the story is completely absorbing. Recommended.
New York City Reviewer
Stray held me in suspense from the minute Jennifer was on the screen. I was extremely surprised to learn about Jennifer's history, which appears clear by the end of the movie. It is hard to believe that the film maker had a small budget to work with, because the movie flowed as well as some of the high budget movies I have seen. The acting and casting were superb. Jennifer had a vulnerable and likable quality to her, which is hard to accomplish as she was not being, shall we say, a good person for a lot of the movie. The older woman character was excellent. The music kept the tension high from beginning to end. I have not been able to get the movie out of my mind, and would like to see a sequel be made.
Nicole Sims
(Spoiler alert) I was amazed when I read online about the incredibly low budget allocated for this production. The writing was spot on, depicting a woman struggling to come to terms with her abusive childhood. How difficult it is to break patterns, yet easy to fall back to the familiar. Don't let the fact that the movie is a micro budget film keep you from giving it a chance. There truly is not much you can fault this movie for. Of course you can not and should not compare this film to the exorbitant movie budgets we have become accustomed to as the norm. This IS a micro budget film
done very well. All the actors did a great job, however, the older mother was refreshing from the moment she walked on screen. Very very sad to hear this was her last film. She did a beautiful job and every minute she was on screen, I was captivated. I really enjoyed this movie and I hope others will as well.
AD
