The Free Fall not only plays as a solid horror movie but is very much a good old-fashioned gothic mystery. The house where the story plays out is a wonderful setting, full of long hallways, wooden archways, old doorknobs, and creaky floors.

After experiencing a traumatic event, Sara (Andrea Londo) attempts suicide but is pulled out of the bathtub just in time by her husband. Waking up after the attempt, she has few or no memories of her past life, including experiences with her husband Nick (Shawn Ashmore). There are brief flashes and pieces of her past that bubble up, but nothing is completely making sense and Sara mostly spends her days wandering the large house she shares with Nick. When not busy writing, Nick takes studious care of Sara while trying to help her recover the life she has lost.

In her journeys around the house, things seem familiar but slightly off. Nick plays gatekeeper for Sara as well, keeping people out of her life that he believes will be detrimental to her recovery. This includes Sara’s sister Julie (Elizabeth Cappuccino) and a mysterious man (Michael Berry Jr.) who keeps appearing trying to “help” Sara. As more and more questions are asked and answered, it becomes very apparent that nothing is as it seems. 

Director Adam Stiwell utilizes the set to its full potential, keeping the movie confined entirely to the home for the whole run time. Despite it being a sizable house, it starts to feel claustrophobic as Sara roams the halls and explores the rooms in an attempt to jog a memory loose. Stilwell uses the house to amp up the tension to great effect; every journey from one floor to the next for Sara could result in a new horrific discovery. These excursions through the house are breathless affairs, waiting to see what awaits behind each door. 

The lead performances from Andrea Londo and Shawn Ashmore are both excellent. Ashmore has a stoically creepy demeanor as husband Nick. The deadpan delivery of his lines is chilling, as he attempts to keep Sara safe from all threats, perceived and real. Andrea Londo conveys a wide range of emotions and feelings in her role as Sara. There’s a lot of confusion and terror as she tries to make sense of the life around her. There’s a vulnerability that Londo brings to Sara, making her a sympathetic character who you can easily get behind. 

The script, credited to Kent Harper, is a solid mystery at its core, on top of having some decent scares and creepy moments. Harper paces the story well, peeling away layers of the onion without fully tipping his hand. He keeps the point of view solidly with Sara, so as she learns something new, we too learn it at the same time. Things get a little messy in the third act as the mystery opens itself up more but never gets out of control to the point where it’s incomprehensible. 

With a solid script, great performances, and a great setting, The Free Fall is an enjoyable, compelling entry into the genre. While there are some missteps in the later parts of the story, they are easy to ignore for the mystery that hooks you from the start. 

7 out of 10

You can watch our interview with actor Shawn Ashmore here.