RATING: A-

One Tree Entertainment presents a Painted Creek production in association with Hunt Genesis Productions and Unorthodox Outcast Studios. Written and directed by Harley Wallen. Produced by Harley Wallen, Kaiti Wallen, and Joe Williamson. Cinematography by Deon Hunt. Edited by Bradford Clark.

Stars Kaiti Wallen, Harley Wallen, Jerry Hayes, Emilia Wallen, Leslie Mechigian, Deon Hunt, Yancey Fuqua, Grover McCants, Giovanni Arion Bryce, and Kayden Bryce. 

A woman, freed from captivity, finds herself attempting to discover the truth in this very tense film from Indie World Cinema Hall of Famer Harley Wallen.

Natalie Dryden was kidnapped as a youngster and after fifteen years of captivity, she has finally escaped and ended up in the hospital. After recovering, she is now attempting to start her life over. However, knowing it will not be as easy road. She meets with therapist Bridget while two detectives, Parker and Booker, attempt to investigate Natalie’s disappearance from beginning to end. 

Natalie was kidnapped by Bobby Nash, who somehow was able to convince Natalie that he was her birth father and that her mother was to blame for him not seeing her. Meanwhile, as Natalie begins therapy, she begins to question whether her father Calvin is in fact, her actual father. As she delves into the truth, she finds herself questioning one thing. Who is her father? Is it Calvin or the man who kidnapped and held her for fifteen years, Bobby?

Harley Wallen is definitely a filmmaker whose work is top-notch. His latest film is a psychological thriller about a woman who for years believed one thing until the truth slowly creeps up on her and her diagnosis of “Stockholm syndrome” begins to influence her to take drastic measures to learn the truth. 

Cast in the lead role is Kaiti Wallen, Harley’s wife, who after wowing audiences with her performance of a battered wife in Finding Nicole, shows that lightning can strike twice. Kaiti shines in the role of the adult Natalie (daughter Emilia plays the young version in a flashback), who is unsure who exactly her father is as she has been led to believe for so long that her kidnapper Bobby (played by the writer/director) was her father and that the father she had known, Calvin (played with sometimes seething rage by Jerry Hayes) adopted her. 

Harley does a great job juxtaposing flashbacks and present day as it is vital to the story. We learn Bobby is not only protective of Natalie, but ensures that the protection stays. This is evident when a lost couple shows up asking for gas notices Natalie before Bobby arrives in his truck. This leads to Bobby killing the couple and making sure no one knows. As if that’s not crazy enough, we see Natalie trying to learn who her father is and when she questions Calvin, he gives off a vibe that makes her suspicious. After all, he is somewhat of an unscrupulous businessman who seems a bit shady. The finale gives off a French New Wave style ending that could have potential for a follow-up.

Fathers is another winner for Harley Wallen. Kaiti Wallen once again shines in the lead role and the juxtaposing of flashbacks and present-day really help bring everything together with a jaw-dropping finale.