How to deter a robber

How to deter a robber easily resembles a particularly successful mix between a detective film and an American comedy. Discovered as part of the American Fantastic Fest festival (virtual edition this year), this film proves to be as catchy as it is original and benefits from the presence of the young actress Vanessa Marano (Saving Zoë (2019), Dexter series, Soundrels...).

We thus discover two teenagers who settle down for a vacation in the family cabin in the woods, when they notice that a light has been turned on in the adjacent vacant cabin. They decide to go there and find nothing abnormal at first sight. During their festivities, they break a ceramic hodag figurine. Under this sign of bad luck, they faint in the cabin, waking up to find the place ransacked, and find themselves suspected of a crime committed while sleeping. They will therefore have to find the criminals in order to exonerate but their search will not go as planned.

It is easy to understand director Maria Bissell's desire to propose a mix between home invasion and home alone by putting these two teenagers and their grandfather in front of two violent burglars. Enjoying an idyllic setting in the middle of a snow-covered Wisconsin and an attractive cast, including supporting actors Chris Mulkey (Twin Peaks), Gabrielle Carteris (Beverly Hills series) and Abbie Cobb, how to deter a robber turns out to be one of the good surprises of Fantastic Fest.

How to deter a robber
Written and Directed by Maria Bissell
Produced by Joshua Fu, Max Silver
Starring Vanessa Marano, Chris Mulkey, Abbie Cobb, Leah Lewis, Gabrielle Carteris
Music by Robert Allaire
Cinematography: Stephen Tringali
Edited by Patrick Lawrence
Release date: September 29, 2020 (Fantastic Fest)
Running time : 85mns

Viewed on September 24, 2020 (screener press)

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