One Resolution Ruins the Party

Read Time:5 Minute, 37 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
New Year's Absolution
–

Genre: Thriller/Horror
Year Released: 2024; 2026 VOD release
Runtime: 1h 25m
Director(s): Nick Leisure
Writer(s): Damion Stephens
Cast: Michael Copon, Josh Gilmer, Joel Brady, Rafael Siegel, Shala White, Victorya Brandart, Siddalee Diaz, Lamondo Hill II
Where to Watch: arriving on VOD on July 14, 2026, just in time for Christmas in July

RAVING REVIEW: NEW YEAR’S ABSOLUTION starts with the kind of tradition that sounds harmless until everyone remembers they invited people with secrets, grudges, guns, and poor impulse control. The idea is simple enough to work. A group of friends gathers for their annual New Year’s Eve celebration and exchanges anonymous resolutions. It expects the night to follow the same chaotic but familiar pattern it always has. Then one slip of paper changes everything.

That resolution reads “Kill Someone,” and the film builds its entire premise around what happens after Jacob, a stressed police officer, pulls out that piece of paper. In a better-adjusted group, someone might laugh too loudly, blame the joke on bad taste, and move on. This group doesn’t have that luxury. Jacob has a gun, a short fuse, and enough tension already sitting on his shoulders that the note doesn’t feel like a prank. It comes through as a warning.

Director Nick Leisure takes a small social ritual and twists it into a holiday nightmare, using the midnight countdown as a built-in timer for paranoia. NEW YEAR’S ABSOLUTION isn’t really about New Year’s optimism, fresh starts, or self-improvement. It’s about the darker fantasy hidden under those rituals. What would someone change if shame, loyalty, and consequence no longer mattered? That’s where the premise has bite, even when the film around it can’t always match.

The strongest part of the movie is the way it turns friendship into a liability. These characters know each other well enough to hurt each other, but not well enough to trust one another once panic enters the room. Old relationships become unstable. Past resentments start looking like a motive. Every reaction makes someone seem guilty, and every attempt to control the situation only makes the room feel smaller. That contained chaos gives the film its best momentum.

Michael Copon plays Roy, a character whose place in the story becomes more important as the night collapses. Copon really firms up the story, especially as it shifts from group paranoia to survival calculation. Josh Gilmer’s Jacob is the character the premise depends on most, because the film needs us to believe one bad note could set off a chain reaction. Gilmer leans into Jacob’s volatility, giving the party an early sense that the wrong person has been handed the worst possible message.

Joel Brady, Rafael Siegel, Shala White, Victorya Brandart, Siddalee Diaz, and Lamondo Hill II help complete the circle of friends, though not everyone receives the same level of definition. That’s one of the film’s bigger limitations. NEW YEAR’S ABSOLUTION works best when the ensemble feels like a collection of people with history, alliances, and emotional baggage. When characters aren’t fully developed, the betrayals don’t hit as hard as they could. A movie built on friendship and buried secrets needs those relationships to feel genuine.

The film’s tone seems to sit between thriller, horror, and dark comedy. The premise invites absurdity because there’s something inherently ridiculous about adults turning a resolution game into a potential murder spiral. At the same time, the consequences are bloody enough that the film can’t treat everything as a joke. Its best moments live in that uncomfortable middle space, where the audience can laugh at how badly everyone is handling the situation while still recognizing that someone may not make it out.

When the movie leans into escalation, it’s easy to see the appeal. It needs suspicion, bad decisions, enough alcohol-fueled confidence to make everyone worse, and a party that becomes harder to leave with every mistake. The downside is that the concept may be stronger than the follow-through. The idea of a “Kill Someone” resolution is immediately attention-grabbing, but such a premise depends on careful tension management. Every character choice has to feel impulsive without feeling forced, and every secret needs to arrive at the right moment. Every death or cover-up needs to tighten the noose rather than simply raise the count.

Leisure’s low-budget thriller instincts help the movie keep its shape. NEW YEAR’S ABSOLUTION appears to know what it can afford to be. A contained, bloody, character-driven party collapse rather than a sprawling mystery. That restraint is important. The film doesn’t need elaborate world-building or a complicated mythology. It needs a room full of people losing faith in each other, and when it stays close to that distrust, it finds its pulse.

NEW YEAR’S ABSOLUTION has a strong premise, a useful holiday connection, and enough darkness to make it worth a look for indie thriller fans. It’s a film where the execution can’t always keep pace with the idea, especially when the emotional history between the characters needs more weight. The result is a messy but watchable party nightmare. Not a total reinvention of the holiday thriller, but a reminder that some resolutions should never make it out of the hat.

Please visit https://linktr.ee/overlyhonestr for more reviews.

You can follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. My social media accounts can also be found on most platforms by searching for 'Overly Honest Reviews'.

I’m always happy to hear from my readers; please don't hesitate to say hello or send me any questions about movies.

[photo courtesy of LEISURE FILMS]

DISCLAIMER:
At Overly Honest Movie Reviews, we value honesty and transparency. Occasionally, we receive complimentary items for review, including DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, Vinyl Records, Books, and more. We assure you that these arrangements do not influence our reviews, as we are committed to providing unbiased and sincere evaluations. We aim to help you make informed entertainment choices regardless of our relationship with distributors or producers.

Amazon Affiliate Links:
Additionally, this site contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may receive a commission. This affiliate arrangement does not affect our commitment to honest reviews and helps support our site. We appreciate your trust and support as you navigate these links.