A Quiet City Holds Untold Family Mysteries

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MOVIE REVIEW
The Untelling

Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery
Year Released: 2019, 2023 on Tubi
Runtime: 1h 11m
Director(s): Russell Whaley
Writer(s): Russell Whaley
Cast: John Livesay, Jessica Felice, Judith Grannas, Hillary Mazer, Tom Lyle, David Bayles
Where To Watch: Watch it on Tubi now for free www.tubi.com

RAVING REVIEW: Russell Whaley's second movie, THE UNTELLING, is an impressive watch, made with much love and patience. It's different from his first film, DISORIENTATION, which came out over ten years ago. Thanks to Tubi, you can watch THE UNTELLING at home now for free.

You don't need a big budget or famous actors to make a great movie. What matters is a story that gets you in the feels and the passion and dedication behind the project. You can also go the other way and make a film where you’re just trying to make a quick buck and fail miserably because of it. Thankfully this is super clear in THE UNTELLING; even though it didn't hit me in a super personal way, it's easy to see how well the movie is made, even on a small budget. You can tell a lot of heart and thought went into it.

The movie takes us from the busy life in Los Angeles to a quiet city in Maryland. The main character's life changes when his grandfather dies. He finds something surprising about his family while trying to carry on the family name. Diving too far into the film will spoil the journey, but without question, I recommend checking this out. With a well-rounded cast, including John Livesay as Henry Scott, Jessica Felice playing Teresa, Judith Grannas who portrays Shelby, Hillary Mazer in the role of Debbie, Tom Lyle who plays Henry’s Grandfather, David Bayles as Sam, as well as others, this film lets you become part of this world.

When Whaley made his first film, it was a wild ride. Even with a good crew and cast, technical issues made it challenging. The intense 16-day shoot took a toll on everyone, both in terms of money and energy.

So for THE UNTELLING, Whaley decided to do things differently, learning from the chaos of his first film. He swapped the busy set for the peaceful setting of his parent's house and made the film on a tight budget. He also took his time with post-production. After a break, he returned to add special effects and an excellent soundtrack. With the whole thing costing just $2000, Whaley showed that you only need a little money to make a solid film.

You can watch THE UNTELLING for free on Tubi. It shows how you can make something unique if you're determined enough.

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[photo courtesy of RD PRODUCTIONS]