While centered around a strong message, Paranormal Attraction (like many first dates I have been on) was humdrum and uninteresting. 80 minutes of inconsistencies and a painfully slow build to a lackluster climax left me wishing the film had something more to offer than what I got… a lot of disappointment. 

Paranormal Attraction follows young entrepreneur Sarah (Brooklyn Haley) after she is hired to clean out a home for an estate sale. As she packs up the home, she unpacks its dark and sordid past along with an incubus (sex demon), who is hell-bent on claiming Sarah’s soul.  

I wanted to like this film but it struggled to woo me for several reasons. I am a stickler for editing quality, I believe blatant continuity issues take away from the story being told. Within the first 15 minutes of the film, I noticed at one point the audio didn’t match up with the video and that alone made me want to walk away from this date. But I hung in there…maybe the film would redeem itself and reel me back in. 

As my date with Paranormal Attraction continued, so did my disinterest. The acting was not favorable. Scenes felt forced and genuine displays of emotion were uncommon. Whether this was a result of the written dialogue the cast had to work with or the cast performances remains unclear. That being said, I enjoyed watching Sarah’s friend Nick (Hunter Johnson). He provided charisma and brought much-needed life to the film. 

Certain details felt forced into a story that wasn’t ready for them with the intent to push that story forward. Without proper introduction or explanation, I was asked to simply swallow and accept these details like an overcooked steak at Denny’s when I was told we were going to Morton’s. Needless to say, these (no so) well-done details didn’t go down very smoothly. 

But my date with Paranormal Attraction wasn’t all bad. The film is grounded in metaphor and I found that quite enjoyable. Sarah’s struggles in this film are representative of a bigger societal problem. The film touches on many issues people (specifically women) will experience throughout the course of their lives. Abuse, stalking, and harassment are all too common traumas and a type of catharsis happens as Sarah confronts these demons (pun intended). This film was never really just about some scary being in a house, there is a lot more being said, which is one of the most poignant pillars of horror. 

The ending (much like life) isn’t all sunshine and roses and I appreciated that. That being said, while we had some good moments and I tried to remain open-minded until the end… Paranormal Attraction won’t be getting a second date from me. 

Movie Rating: 3 out of 10