THE DARK PLACE is a Satisfying Whodunit Thriller

The estranged heir to a wine fortune must unravel a conspiracy that frames him for murder, threatens his inheritance, and endangers his very life itself.

“Your mind can get you killed”, especially when you are hyperthymestic — highly superior autobiographical memory — and a notorious rich-kid harboring dark childhood memories. Thus is the premise of writer/producer/director Jody Wheeler’s 2014 thriller The Dark Place, a film that oozes an affluent air, quickly going from a family drama to a fast-paced mystery. The film is a tight knitting of threads, and as its protagonist begins to pull on them using the power of his “walking videotape” mind, true intentions and nefarious plots are exposed as the mystery begins to unravel — along with his life.

The Dark Place explores the relationships between two abruptly merged families, Keegan and Celeste Dark, and Dr. Adrian Bishop and his son Jake. In a word, this movie is beautiful. From the cast to the cinematography to the crafting of its layered story, The Dark Place is aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, and its homoerotic scenes are just enough to bring a sexiness to the film for some respite from the mystery and mounting suspense. The film stars Blaise Godbe Lipman who was the protagonist and had to do most of the heavy-lifting, he gave me strong Ryan Phillipe vibes from Cruel Intentions (1999) in his portrayal of arrogant but conflicted Keegan. The film also stars Timo Descamps, Sean Paul Lockhart, Andy Copeland, Shannon Day, and Eddy Rioseco.

In The Dark Place, Keegan Dark (Blaise Godbe Lipman) is a man plagued by childhood trauma who has a complicated relationship with his estranged mother Celeste (Shannon Day), who owns an idyllic winery in California. When he decides to surprise her with an unannounced belated birthday visit, he and his boyfriend Wil (Timo Descamps) are shocked to find that she has married a doctor 6 months earlier and moved him and his son Jake (Sean Paul Lockhart) into their vineyard. Feeling more estranged after seeing his new family’s bond, Keegan’s feeling of distance soon turns to concern when his intuition picks on Jake’s psychopath vibes. When Celeste suddenly winds up catatonic, Keegan becomes even more suspicious of his new family, realizing that they have a plan to push him out of the family, their winery business, and to take the inheritance for themselves. Keegan must use his powerful mind to expose the dark motives of the Bishops in order to save his loved ones, as well as his own life.

Even the all too convenient escapes that Keegan pulls off can be forgiven for the sake of continuing this story that I was on the edge of my seat, waiting in anticipation to see its end. This is a great story, despite its few missteps. The chunk of the cast are total hunks, and the women’s beauty is of vampiric quality. The lighting often makes the film look slightly dreamy, ranging from darkness somehow brightly moonlit to lighting that makes the actors and scenery look like heaven. Towards the end, the movie gets a slight soap-opera tone once all the threads are exposed and the action begins, but the plot and pacing continue to be thrilling until the end.

The Dark Place is a wonderful journey, a tale of family, redemption, and love while being a whodunnit mystery with unexpected twists, which along with its tasteful erotic scenes, keep the story exciting. It might have a target audience of the LGBTQ+ community, but The Dark Place is a mystery for the intellectuals, one that would also satisfy crime thriller enthusiasts with its well-written and performed script and the action payoff in its climax. Titled the Best Gay Thriller at the 2015 TLA Gaybie, The Dark Place will be returning to the big screen this month for audiences to enjoy once again!