A Strong Concept Without the Polish

Read Time:4 Minute, 59 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Enter the Room
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Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Short
Year Released: 2022
Runtime: 15m
Director(s): Harry Waldman
Writer(s): Harry Waldman
Cast: Peter Mastne, Rich Holton
Where To Watch: TBD

RAVING REVIEW: There’s something undeniably captivating about watching someone swing for the fences with a homegrown project, even if they don’t quite hit it out of the park. ENTER THE ROOM falls into that category—a passion-driven short that aims high with its themes and emotional punch. It’s the kind of indie piece where you can feel the determination behind every frame, but you can also see the missing resources, every unpolished edge, and every idea that needed a few more drafts. Ambition is on full display here, but ambition alone can’t carry a story when the final product feels more like a first cut than a finished product.

The story revolves around two brothers forced into close quarters inside an apartment. Jeremy, an actor needing a temporary crash pad while shooting in the city, reaches out to his older brother, Brian. Their reunion starts with forced smiles and exchanges, but it doesn’t take long before small annoyances escalate into something much more volatile. The setup is solid—limited location, two characters with a history, and a ticking emotional time bomb. It’s the premise that lends itself to a dialogue-heavy drama or a minimalist psychological thriller, and ENTER THE ROOM flirts with both tones throughout.

Director Harry Waldman, who also wrote, edited, and produced the short, approaches the story fearlessly. He doesn’t waste time with exposition or backstory. The tension is established from frame one, and the conflict keeps brewing until the film’s final minute. That energy is both a strength and a weakness. On one hand, it keeps the momentum up; on the other, it often feels like emotional whiplash.

The acting helps anchor the chaos, even if the performances sometimes feel uneven. Peter Mastne plays Brian with an intensity that teeters between compelling and overdone. His best moments come when he pulls back and lets the anxiety simmer rather than explode. Rich Holton, as Jeremy, provides the necessary contrast with a more grounded, controlled performance. Their back-and-forth feels authentic enough to work, but occasionally suffers from dialogue that doesn’t always feel lived-in. Still, their chemistry carries the short.

ENTER THE ROOM operates on a visual level that’s very much in line with its low-budget aesthetic. The cinematography leans heavily into close-ups and static shots, often framing the characters in ways that emphasize the apartment’s cramped, suffocating atmosphere. It’s a smart, creative decision that’s let down by some technical hiccups. Inconsistent focus and some lighting that feels more like overhead dorm room glare than intentional visual design work against the tension the film’s trying to build.

There’s minimal set dressing, and what is there feels like it was scavenged on the fly. While that might have been a choice to reflect the emotional sterility of the characters' lives, it makes the entire space feel more like an afterthought than a functioning apartment. If the location had been treated with more attention to detail, it might’ve helped sell the claustrophobic tone more convincingly.

The soundscape also leaves a lot to be desired. The dialogue is generally clear, but ambient noise is almost nonexistent, and the soundtrack fades between minimal and overbearing. Some music cues exist solely to remind the viewer that tension is building, which is rarely an effective move.

Despite the rough edges, the film does offer a commendable attempt to tackle deeper themes—primarily mental health, anxiety, and the strain of unresolved trauma. Brian’s behavior is more than just quirky; it reflects someone unraveling, trying to impose control over the uncontrollable. Jeremy, meanwhile, represents the outsider trying to help without fully understanding the depth of the problem.

The climax is the film’s most stylized and emotionally effective moment. A shift in lighting reflects the characters' psychological breaking point. It’s where all the elements—direction, performance, and tone—finally sync up.

The use of intense flashing lights throughout the film also needs to be noted. These visual effects may pose a problem for photosensitive viewers, and I would love to see a warning beforehand in the movie.

None of this is to say there’s no value in watching it. For fans of DIY indie shorts, there’s a curiosity factor here that makes the project intriguing, if only to see a creative voice taking its early steps. There’s a sense that Waldman might have more to offer once he has more resources, collaborators, and a refined toolkit.

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[photo courtesy of EDGEWATER FILM PRODUCTIONS]

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