The Rows

For his feature debut, Seth Daly takes a bold creative risk with The Rows, a stripped-down horror thriller that places a child at the center of a never-ending nightmare. Told in three non-chronological chapters, the film plunges the audience into chaos, opening with young Lucy, played by Brindisi Capri, lost in the claustrophobic corridors of a cornfield. Daly's decision to begin in medias res is striking, immediately plunging viewers into the uncertainty of the child's situation, hunted in the shadows by masked adults. There is a raw, visceral tension in watching a vulnerable child attempt to outwit her predators in an environment that feels both infinite and suffocating, and Daly effectively exploits this primal fear.

However, by relying so heavily on this device, he risks repetition and stretches the suspense beyond its breaking point, leaving the audience both nervous and at times weary. One of the film's most striking choices is its commitment to silence. Much of the first act takes place as Lucy is forced to survive in silence, relying on the natural soundscape of the cornfield and the ominous rustling of her pursuers.

 This carefully crafted and deliberate sound design becomes a character in its own right, plunging the viewer into the girl's fear and disorientation. The silence allows the slightest noises—the crack of a twig, a soft breath, the rubbing of a mask—to resonate like gunshots, amplifying the tension. However, the prolonged absence of dialogue also highlights the limitations of Daly's concept. As Lucy repeatedly escapes capture, the cycle begins to feel mechanical, and while the idea of a child arming herself with a stolen gun brings a surprising and disturbing element, the sequence risks diminishing its impact by returning too often to the same cat-and-mouse routine.

When Daly rewinds the film to reveal the events that led to Lucy's ordeal, he completely changes the tone. The unsettling silence gives way to a mundane family life, which is quickly disrupted by intruders whose motivations shift the narrative into a more conventional register. The film provides answers to the questions raised earlier, but the familiarity of the situation (masked intruders, hidden grudges, revenge-driven violence) undermines some of the originality that shone through in the field sequences. This chapter nevertheless provides a useful foundation, fleshing out Lucy's world beyond the cornfields, but it also highlights the challenge facing Daly: sustaining the plot for nearly 100 minutes with a story that might have worked better as a tense short film.

The Rows nevertheless has undeniable strengths. Brindisi Capri, tasked with silently carrying much of the film's emotional weight, delivers a remarkably controlled and evocative performance for such a young actress. Her expressions, which alternate between fear, confusion, and flashes of defiance, create a sense of lived experience that the dialogue could have diluted. One particularly haunting image, in which Lucy holds the gun she has taken—a symbol of both survival and corrupted innocence—remains etched in the viewer's mind long after the film ends. The supporting cast, notably Lara Pictet, Marcus Woods, Hans Heilmann, and Mary Montoya, bring a functional menace, though Daly never fully explores their identities or backstories, which could have enriched the narrative.

The film's aesthetic is also worthy of praise. Shot on 35mm in Ohio on a shoestring budget, Daly demonstrates a keen sense of atmospheric composition. The towering corn walls become a natural maze, both beautiful and suffocating, while the texture of the film lends a grainy immediacy reminiscent of classic survival thrillers like The Town That Dreaded Sundown. The director himself acknowledged that the project was conceived with FrightFest audiences in mind, and it's true that the film's visual and sound work, combined with its minimalist dialogue and immersive setting, fits perfectly into that tradition. Even when the story falters, the desire to create a tactile, theatrical experience remains evident.

Ultimately, The Rows reveals both the promise and the pitfalls of a first feature film. Seth Daly's vision is ambitious, daring to strip horror down to its bare essentials: silence, setting, and the primal terror of a child in danger. But ambition clashes with execution: what begins as a captivating experience risks sinking into monotony as the narrative struggles to justify its length. Despite these shortcomings, Daly demonstrates a mastery of atmosphere and a willingness to take creative risks, suggesting that his missteps are more instructive than damning. With Brindisi Capri establishing herself as a remarkable young talent, and the film's technical strengths, The Rows may not fully realize its potential, but it marks the arrival of a filmmaker to watch.

The Rows
Written and directed by Seth Daly
Produced by Pamela Daly, Corey Weintraub
Starring Lara Pictet, Pamela Daly, Seth Daly, Marcus Woods, Hans Heilmann, Mary Montoya, Brindisi Capri, Rynn Reigns, Genna Pisano, Douglas Fries, Bragi, Corey Herren
Cinematography: Corey Weintraub
Edited by Joey Liew
Music by Brandon Maahs
Production companies: The Rows Movie
Distributed by NC
Release dates: NC
Running time: 98 minutes

Seen on August 22, 2025 (Frightfest press screener)

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