Let’s start by saying that I’m a sucker for Found Footage movies. The original Paranormal Activity and Hell House LLC are two of my favorite horror movies. I get the appeal of making it, it’s a relative cheaper filmmaking style that allows pretty good return on investment. With that said, there are also plenty of clichés that going along with it. I’m looking at you “WHY ARE YOU STILL FILMING INSTEAD OF DROPPING IT AND RUNNING?” I’m happy to say that The Andy Baker Tape is one of the better FF movies to recently be released.

YouTuber Jeff Blake runs a food-based channel with hopes of being signed onto The Food Network. Having lost his father relatively recently, he’s eager to see if there is any other family out there. As it happens, he has a half-brother, Andy Baker, who he decides to connect with while filming a pitch to network. As they spend more and more time together, we start to notice that things are quite right. What started as a chance to connect and test the waters of a new show, becomes something darker.

Even though it drags during the first half and doesn’t break new ground it’s solidly acted and well shot. Like I said, it doesn’t get away from all the cliches associated with this genre. One thing to keep in mind is that this is more of a suspense then an outright horror. So, if you’re looking for blood and guts thrown at the screen for majority of the movie, best to look elsewhere.

The Andy Baker Tape is only as strong as it is because of the two leads. Jeff Blake (Bret Lada) and Andy Baker (Dustin Fontaine) proved to be more than capable of carrying the film. Bret was able to portray a youtuber on the rise willing to do what’s needed in order to secure the deal. On the flip-side Dustin was able to play someone who seems to be longing for a connection, but something is just below the surface that makes you question his intentions. They do well to carry the film as there is pretty much no one else on screen during the run time.

From a technical standpoint, there isn’t much to say about the film. The video is clear and it’s easy to see what’s going on even in the darker scenes. Audio isn’t quite as strong, though. There are times when its harder to hear what’s going on. The overall direction works, and the writing actually feels a bit more natural, especially when it comes to everyday banter.

Does the film equal more than the sum of its parts? Yes and no. The Andy Baker Tape could have easily gone downhill and ended up as another FF movie that was pumped out during the first two years of the pandemic. But strong writing and even stronger acting help to make sure that didn’t happen, even if the story and pacing got in the way.

7 out of 10